Near-uniform sampling of factored smooth integers in expected polynomial time

Given integers \(2\le y\le X\), we consider the generation of an integer chosen nearly uniformly from the \(y\)-smooth integers at most \(X\), together with its complete prime factorization. We give an unconditional algorithm using fair random bits whose output law is within total variation \(2^{-h}\) of uniform and whose expected bit complexity is bounded by a fixed polynomial in \(\lceil\log_2 X\rceil+h\), uniformly in \(y\). The algorithm requires no prime list, smooth-number counting oracle, saddle-point evaluation or general integer-factorization routine. Its construction combines tilted independent geometric prime exponents with sparse proposals over dyadic integer intervals. An explicitly filtered grid contains a useful tilt without computing it. Uniform smooth-number estimates give polynomial acceptance, and certified finite-precision primitives preserve both the distributional guarantee and the expected work bound. Every returned integer and its displayed prime factorization are exact; the approximation concerns only the sampling distribution. The guarantee concerns expected bit complexity; no practical running-time comparison is asserted.

Authors

Publication Details

Journal
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Published
2026-11-02
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23878463
Primary Topic
Analytic Number Theory Research
Type
preprint
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preprint

Near-uniform sampling of factored smooth integers in expected polynomial time

Sam Vaseghi
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Analytic Number Theory Research
preprint

Near-uniform sampling of factored smooth integers in expected polynomial time

Sam Vaseghi
preprint en

Abstract

Given integers \(2\le y\le X\), we consider the generation of an integer chosen nearly uniformly from the \(y\)-smooth integers at most \(X\), together with its complete prime factorization. We give an unconditional algorithm using fair random bits whose output law is within total variation \(2^{-h}\) of uniform and whose expected bit complexity is bounded by a fixed polynomial in \(\lceil\log_2 X\rceil+h\), uniformly in \(y\). The algorithm requires no prime list, smooth-number counting oracle, saddle-point evaluation or general integer-factorization routine. Its construction combines tilted independent geometric prime exponents with sparse proposals over dyadic integer intervals. An explicitly filtered grid contains a useful tilt without computing it. Uniform smooth-number estimates give polynomial acceptance, and certified finite-precision primitives preserve both the distributional guarantee and the expected work bound. Every returned integer and its displayed prime factorization are exact; the approximation concerns only the sampling distribution. The guarantee concerns expected bit complexity; no practical running-time comparison is asserted.

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Analytic Number Theory Research
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Near-uniform sampling of factored smooth integers in expected polynomial time — Sam Vaseghi · Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS