Erdős Reciprocal Sums Conjecture for Sets without Arithmetic Progressions

This preprint provides an exhaustive mathematical treatise on the Erdős Reciprocal Sums Conjecture on AP-Free Sets (Problem #70 in Paul Erdős' collection, 1973), a foundational problem in arithmetic combinatorics and analytic density theory. The conjecture asks whether the sum of reciprocals of any set of positive integers A ⊆ ℕ≥1 containing no k-term arithmetic progression (APk) is universally bounded by a finite constant ck: ck &coloneqq; sup { ∑n ∈ A 1 / n ∣ A ⊆ ℕ≥1, A contains no APk } < ∞ For decades, even the 3-term case remained open. In 2020, Thomas Bloom and Olof Sisask resolved the conjecture for k = 3 by establishing the density bound r3(N) ≪ N / (log N)1+c. In 2023, Zander Kelley and Raghu Meka established an exponential breakthrough r3(N) ≤ N exp(−c (log N)1/12), proving the definitive finite bound for c3. Key Mathematical Results & Contributions Dyadic Slicing Framework: Complete analytical derivation showing that ∑n ∈ A 1/n ≤ ∑j=0∞ rk(2j+ 1) / 2j, directly linking reciprocal convergence to sub-logarithmic density decay. Bloom-Sisask Theorem (2020): Exposition of the higher-order Fourier analysis and almost-periodicity techniques resolving the k = 3 reciprocal sum convergence. Kelley-Meka Exponential Density Bounds (2023): Analysis of the density increment strategy on Bohr sets establishing quasi-polynomial bounds for 3-AP free sets. Concrete 3-AP Free Constructions: Numerical evaluations and explicit reciprocal sums for greedy Stanley sequences and Behrend high-density sets. 100% Machine-Checked Verification in Lean 4: AP-free predicates, dyadic slice sum reductions, and small finite AP-free reciprocal evaluations are machine-certified with 0 axioms, 0 linter warnings, and 0 sorry placeholders via the Lean 4 interactive theorem prover and Mathlib. Repository and Verification Artifacts The companion machine-checked code and formal verification artifacts are publicly hosted on GitHub:https://github.com/flouzzy/erdos-problemsInteractive Portal: https://maths-proofs.edounze.com/#erdos-70-reciprocal-sums Primary MSC (2020): 11B25, 05D10, 11B13, 68V20, 11N13.Keywords: Erdős Reciprocal Sums Conjecture, Arithmetic Progressions, Roth's Theorem, Bloom-Sisask Theorem, Kelley-Meka Bound, Additive Combinatorics, Formal Verification, Lean 4, Mathlib.

Authors

Publication Details

Journal
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Published
2026-08-27
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22133103
Primary Topic
Limits and Structures in Graph Theory
Type
preprint
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preprint

Erdős Reciprocal Sums Conjecture for Sets without Arithmetic Progressions

Charles EDOU NZE
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Limits and Structures in Graph Theory
preprint

Erdős Reciprocal Sums Conjecture for Sets without Arithmetic Progressions

Charles EDOU NZE
preprint en

Abstract

This preprint provides an exhaustive mathematical treatise on the Erdős Reciprocal Sums Conjecture on AP-Free Sets (Problem #70 in Paul Erdős' collection, 1973), a foundational problem in arithmetic combinatorics and analytic density theory. The conjecture asks whether the sum of reciprocals of any set of positive integers A ⊆ ℕ≥1 containing no k-term arithmetic progression (APk) is universally bounded by a finite constant ck: ck &coloneqq; sup { ∑n ∈ A 1 / n ∣ A ⊆ ℕ≥1, A contains no APk } < ∞ For decades, even the 3-term case remained open. In 2020, Thomas Bloom and Olof Sisask resolved the conjecture for k = 3 by establishing the density bound r3(N) ≪ N / (log N)1+c. In 2023, Zander Kelley and Raghu Meka established an exponential breakthrough r3(N) ≤ N exp(−c (log N)1/12), proving the definitive finite bound for c3. Key Mathematical Results & Contributions Dyadic Slicing Framework: Complete analytical derivation showing that ∑n ∈ A 1/n ≤ ∑j=0∞ rk(2j+ 1) / 2j, directly linking reciprocal convergence to sub-logarithmic density decay. Bloom-Sisask Theorem (2020): Exposition of the higher-order Fourier analysis and almost-periodicity techniques resolving the k = 3 reciprocal sum convergence. Kelley-Meka Exponential Density Bounds (2023): Analysis of the density increment strategy on Bohr sets establishing quasi-polynomial bounds for 3-AP free sets. Concrete 3-AP Free Constructions: Numerical evaluations and explicit reciprocal sums for greedy Stanley sequences and Behrend high-density sets. 100% Machine-Checked Verification in Lean 4: AP-free predicates, dyadic slice sum reductions, and small finite AP-free reciprocal evaluations are machine-certified with 0 axioms, 0 linter warnings, and 0 sorry placeholders via the Lean 4 interactive theorem prover and Mathlib. Repository and Verification Artifacts The companion machine-checked code and formal verification artifacts are publicly hosted on GitHub:https://github.com/flouzzy/erdos-problemsInteractive Portal: https://maths-proofs.edounze.com/#erdos-70-reciprocal-sums Primary MSC (2020): 11B25, 05D10, 11B13, 68V20, 11N13.Keywords: Erdős Reciprocal Sums Conjecture, Arithmetic Progressions, Roth's Theorem, Bloom-Sisask Theorem, Kelley-Meka Bound, Additive Combinatorics, Formal Verification, Lean 4, Mathlib.

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Limits and Structures in Graph Theory
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Erdős Reciprocal Sums Conjecture for Sets without Arithmetic Progressions — Charles EDOU NZE · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS