Sums and differences of four k-th powers

We prove an upper bound for the number of representations of a positive integer $N$ as the sum of four $k$-th powers of integers of size at most $B$, using a new version of the Determinant method developed by Heath-Brown, along with recent results by Salberger on the density of integral points on affine surfaces. More generally we consider representations by any integral diagonal form. The upper bound has the form $O_{N}(B^{c/\sqrt{k}})$, whereas earlier versions of the Determinant method would produce an exponent for $B$ of order $k^{-1/3}$ in this case. Furthermore, we prove that the number of representations of a positive integer $N$ as a sum of four $k$-th powers of non-negative integers is at most $O_{\epsilon}(N^{1/k+2/k^{3/2}+\epsilon})$ for $k \geq 3$, improving upon bounds by Wisdom.Comment: 18 pages. Mistake corrected in the statement of Theorem 1.2. To appear in Monatsh. Mat

An Extreme Family of Generalized Frobenius Numbers

We study a generalization of the \emph{Frobenius problem}: given $k$ positive relatively prime integers, what is the largest integer $g_0$ that cannot be represented as a nonnegative integral linear combination of these parameters? More generally, what is the largest integer $g_s$ that has exactly $s$ such representations? We illustrate a family of parameters, based on a recent paper by Tripathi, whose generalized Frobenius numbers $g_0, \ g_1, \ g_2, ...$ exhibit unnatural jumps; namely, $g_0, \ g_1, \ g_k, \ g_{\binom{k+1}{k-1}}, \ g_{\binom{k+2}{k-1}}, ...$form an arithmetic progression, and any integer larger than$g_{\binom{k+j}{k-1}}$has at least$\binom{k+j+1}{k-}$ representations. Along the way, we introduce a variation of a generalized Frobenius number and prove some basic results about it.Comment: 5 pages, to appear in Integers: the Electronic Journal of Combinatorial Number Theor

Bounds on generalized Frobenius numbers

Let $N \geq 2$ and let $1 < a_1 < ... < a_N$ be relatively prime integers. The Frobenius number of this $N$-tuple is defined to be the largest positive integer that has no representation as $\sum_{i=1}^N a_i x_i$ where $x_1,...,x_N$ are non-negative integers. More generally, the $s$-Frobenius number is defined to be the largest positive integer that has precisely $s$ distinct representations like this. We use techniques from the Geometry of Numbers to give upper and lower bounds on the $s$-Frobenius number for any nonnegative integer $s$.Comment: We include an appendix with an erratum and addendum to the published version of this paper: two inaccuracies in the statement of Theorem 2.2 are corrected and additional bounds on s-Frobenius numbers are derive

Continuants and some decompositions into squares

In 1855 H. J. S. Smith proved Fermat's two-square using the notion of palindromic continuants. In his paper, Smith constructed a proper representation of a prime number $p$ as a sum of two squares, given a solution of $z^2+1\equiv0\pmod{p}$, and vice versa. In this paper, we extend the use of continuants to proper representations by sums of two squares in rings of polynomials on fields of characteristic different from 2. New deterministic algorithms for finding the corresponding proper representations are presented. Our approach will provide a new constructive proof of the four-square theorem and new proofs for other representations of integers by quaternary quadratic forms.Comment: 21 page