Fibonacci Friday Factors

Today’s a Phiday Friday or Φiday Friday or Φriday, so let’s have some more Fibonacci Fun. Here is the famous Fibonacci sequence, where each number (after seeding with “0, 1”) is formed by adding the previous two numbers:

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987, 1597, 2584, 4181, 6765, 10946, 17711, 28657, 46368, 75025, 121393, 196418, 317811, 514229, 832040, 1346269, 2178309, 3524578, 5702887, 9227465, 14930352, 24157817, 39088169, 63245986, 102334155, … — A000045 at the Online Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences (OEIS)

It’s obvious that the numbers get bigger for ever and that no number repeats except 1. But what happens to the final digit of the Fibonacci numbers, as underlined here?:

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987, 1597, 2584, 4181, 6765, 10946, 17711, 28657, 46368, 75025, 121393, 196418, 317811, 514229, 832040, …

If you think about it, you’ll realize that the final digit has to repeat. Look for the “0, 1, 1” re-appearing:

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 3, 1, 4, 5, 9, 4, 3, 7, 0, 7, 7, 4, 1, 5, 6, 1, 7, 8, 5, 3, 8, 1, 9, 0, 9, 9, 8, 7, 5, 2, 7, 9, 6, 5, 1, 6, 7, 3, 0, 3, 3, 6, 9, 5, 4, 9, 3, 2, 5, 7, 2, 9, 1, 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 3, 1, 4, 5, 9, 4, 3, 7, 0, 7, 7, 4, 1, 5, 6, 1, 7, 8, 5, 3, 8, 1, 9, 0, 9, 9, 8, 7, 5, 2, 7, 9, 6, 5, … — A003893 at the OEIS, “a(n) = Fibonacci(n) mod 10”

As you’ll see, all the numbers 0 to 9 appear in that sequence. But what about the final two digits of the Fibonacci sequence? Do all the numbers 0 to 99 appear before the sequence repeats?

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 44, 33, 77, 10, 87, 97, 84, 81, 65, 46, 11, 57, 68, 25, 93, 18, 11, 29, 40, 69, 9, 78, 87, 65, 52, 17, 69, 86, 55, 41, 96, 37, 33, 70, 3, 73, 76, 49, 25, 74, 99, 73, 72, 45, 17, 62, 79, 41, 20, 61, 81, 42, 23, 65, 88, 53, 41, 94, 35, 29, 64, … — A105471 at the OEIS, “a(n) = Fibonacci(n) mod 100”


And what about the the final three digits and the numbers 0 to 999?

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987, 597, 584, 181, 765, 946, 711, 657, 368, 25, 393, 418, 811, 229, 40, 269, 309, 578, 887, 465, 352, 817, 169, 986, 155, 141, 296, 437, 733, 170, 903, 73, 976, 49, 25, 74, 99, 173, 272 … — A248740 at the OEIS, “a(n) = Fibonacci(n) mod 1000”


In fact, some numbers do go missing as the final block of digits gets longer. But all that is based on the representation of the Fibonacci numbers in base 10. What about other bases? I had a look at that question and came up with some interesting patterns when I represented the final-block numbers on an Ulam-like spiral, where numbers are represented as squares on a spiral rotating counter-clockwise. This is the spiral for powers of 2 (the red square marks the center of the spiral and the number 1):

Spiral of final Fib-digits modulo 2^p


Fib-spiral mod 2^p (smaller scale)


Fib-spiral mod 2^p (smaller scale still)


What fraction of numbers are missing from the spiral? Watch this space. In the meantime, here’s the Fib-spiral for powers of 3:

Fib-spiral mod 3^p


It’s completely filled, because no numbers are missing (the red square marks “1” at the center of the spiral). What about powers of 4? Well, we’ve already seen that Fib-spiral, because all powers of 4 are also powers of 2:

Fib-spiral mod 4^p


The Fib-spiral for powers of 5 is the same as the Fib-spiral for powers of 3: it’s completely filled again. But the Fib-spiral for powers of 6 is interesting:

Fib-spiral mod 6^p


Fib-spiral mod 6^p (smaller scale)


Fib-spiral mod 6^p (smaller scale still)


And here are more Fib-spirals and more interesting patterns:

Fib-spiral mod 7^p


Fib-spiral mod 10^p — identical to the Fib-spiral for 2^p


Fib-spiral mod 11^p


Fib-spiral mod 11^p (smaller scale)


Fib-spiral mod 13^p


Fib-spiral mod 13^p (smaller scale)


Fib-spiral mod 17^p


Fib-spiral mod 17^p (smaller scale)


Fib-spiral mod 19^p


Fib-spiral mod 19^p (smaller scale)


Fib-spiral mod 41^p


Fib-spiral mod 41^p (smaller scale)


Fib-spiral mod 47^p


Elsewhere Other-Accessible…

Friday is Φday — a first look at Phiday on Friday

The Power of Cow

1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 13, 19, 28, 41, 60, 88, 129, 189, 277, 406, 595, 872, 1278, 1873, 2745, 4023, 5896, 8641, 12664, 18560, 27201, 39865, 58425, 85626, 125491, 183916, 269542, 395033, 578949, 848491, 1243524, 1822473, 2670964, 3914488, 5736961, 8407925, …

• Narayana’s cows sequence: a(0) = a(1) = a(2) = 1; thereafter a(n) = a(n-1) + a(n-3). […] Number of digits in A061582. — A000930 at the Online Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences

1, 3, 9, 27, 621, 1863, 324189, 961232427, 2718369612621, 6213249182718361863, 1863961227324621324918324189, 32418927183662196121863961227324961232427, 961232427621324918186327183632418927183662196122718369612621, …

• a(1) = 1, a(n) = number obtained by replacing each digit of a(n-1) with three times its value. — A061582 at the OEIS

Moniliform Maths

2 = 1/2 + 2/4 + 3/8 + 4/16 + 5/32…

sum(np / 2n)

2 = prime = sum(n / 2n)
6 = 2·3 = sum(n2 / 2n)
26 = 2·13 = sum(n3 / 2n)
150 = 2·3·52 = sum(n4 / 2n)
1082 = 2·541 = sum(n5 / 2n)
9366 = 2·3·7·223 = sum(n6 / 2n)
94586 = 2·47293 = sum(n7 / 2n)
1091670 = 2·3·5·36389 = sum(n8 / 2n)
14174522 = 2·7087261 = sum(n9 / 2n)
204495126 = 2·3·11·41·75571 = sum(n10 / 2n)

A000629 Number of necklaces of partitions of n+1 labeled beads.

1, 2, 6, 26, 150, 1082, 9366, 94586, 1091670, 14174522, 204495126, 3245265146, 56183135190, 1053716696762, 21282685940886, 460566381955706, 10631309363962710, 260741534058271802, 6771069326513690646, 185603174638656822266, 5355375592488768406230

• moniliform ← French moniliforme (1800 or earlier) ← classical Latin monīle necklace


sum(np / 3n)

3/4 = prime / (22) = sum(n / 3n)
3/2 = prime / prime = sum(n2 / 3n)
33/8 = (3·11) / (23) = sum(n3 / 3n)
15 = 3·5 = sum(n4 / 3n)
273/4 = (3·7·13) / (22) = sum(n5 / 3n)
1491/4 = (3·7·71) / (22) = sum(n6 / 3n)
38001/16 = (3·53·239) / (24) = sum(n7 / 3n)
17295 = 3·5·1153 = sum(n8 / 3n)
566733/4 = (3·188911) / (22) = sum(n9 / 3n)
2579313/2 = (3·11·47·1663) / prime = sum(n10 / 3n)


sum(np / 4n)

4/9 = (22) / (32) = sum(n / 4n)
20/27 = (22·5) / (33) = sum(n2 / 4n)
44/27 = (22·11) / (33) = sum(n3 / 4n)
380/81 = (22·5·19) / (34) = sum(n4 / 4n)
4108/243 = (22·13·79) / (35) = sum(n5 / 4n)
17780/243 = (22·5·7·127) / (35) = sum(n6 / 4n)
269348/729 = (22·172·233) / (36) = sum(n7 / 4n)
4663060/2187 = (22·5·107·2179) / (37) = sum(n8 / 4n)
10091044/729 = (22·2522761) / (36) = sum(n9 / 4n)
218374420/2187 = (22·5·11·23·103·419) / (37) = sum(n10 / 4n)


sum(np / 5n)

5/16 = prime / (24) = sum(n / 5n)
15/32 = (3·5) / (25) = sum(n2 / 5n)
115/128 = (5·23) / (27) = sum(n3 / 5n)
285/128 = (3·5·19) / (27) = sum(n4 / 5n)
3535/512 = (5·7·101) / (29) = sum(n5 / 5n)
26355/1024 = (3·5·7·251) / (210) = sum(n6 / 5n)
458555/4096 = (5·91711) / (212) = sum(n7 / 5n)
1139685/2048 = (3·5·75979) / (211) = sum(n8 / 5n)
25492435/8192 = (5·17·443·677) / (213) = sum(n9 / 5n)
316786305/16384 = (3·5·11·1919917) / (214) = sum(n10 / 5n)


sum(np / 6n)

6/25 = (2·3) / (52) = sum(n / 6n)
42/125 = (2·3·7) / (53) = sum(n2 / 6n)
366/625 = (2·3·61) / (54) = sum(n3 / 6n)
4074/3125 = (2·3·7·97) / (55) = sum(n4 / 6n)
11334/3125 = (2·3·1889) / (55) = sum(n5 / 6n)
189714/15625 = (2·3·7·4517) / (56) = sum(n6 / 6n)
3706518/78125 = (2·3·181·3413) / (57) = sum(n7 / 6n)
82749954/390625 = (2·3·7·1970237) / (58) = sum(n8 / 6n)
2078250726/1953125 = (2·3·31·1061·10531) / (59) = sum(n9 / 6n)
11598884682/1953125 = (2·3·7·11·232·47459) / (59) = sum(n10 / 6n)


sum(np / 7n)

7/36 = prime / (22·32) = sum(n / 7n)
7/27 = prime / (33) = sum(n2 / 7n)
91/216 = (7·13) / (23·33) = sum(n3 / 7n)
70/81 = (2·5·7) / (34) = sum(n4 / 7n)
2149/972 = (7·307) / (22·35) = sum(n5 / 7n)
3311/486 = (7·11·43) / (2·35) = sum(n6 / 7n)
285929/11664 = (7·40847) / (24·36) = sum(n7 / 7n)
220430/2187 = (2·5·7·47·67) / (37) = sum(n8 / 7n)
1359337/2916 = (7·17·11423) / (22·36) = sum(n9 / 7n)
5239157/2187 = (7·11·68041) / (37) = sum(n10 / 7n)


sum(np / 8n)

8/49 = (23) / (72) = sum(n / 8n)
72/343 = (23·32) / (73) = sum(n2 / 8n)
776/2401 = (23·97) / (74) = sum(n3 / 8n)
10440/16807 = (23·32·5·29) / (75) = sum(n4 / 8n)
174728/117649 = (23·21841) / (76) = sum(n5 / 8n)
3525192/823543 = (23·32·11·4451) / (77) = sum(n6 / 8n)
11870648/823543 = (23·41·36191) / (77) = sum(n7 / 8n)
319735800/5764801 = (23·32·52·19·9349) / (78) = sum(n8 / 8n)
9686934584/40353607 = (23·1210866823) / (79) = sum(n9 / 8n)
326084753016/282475249 = (23·32·11·16273·25301) / (710) = sum(n10 / 8n)


sum(np / 9n)

9/64 = (32) / (26) = sum(n / 9n)
45/256 = (32·5) / (28) = sum(n2 / 9n)
531/2048 = (32·59) / (211) = sum(n3 / 9n)
1935/4096 = (32·5·43) / (212) = sum(n4 / 9n)
34983/32768 = (32·132·23) / (215) = sum(n5 / 9n)
381465/131072 = (32·5·72·173) / (217) = sum(n6 / 9n)
9725787/1048576 = (32·67·1272) / (220) = sum(n7 / 9n)
35420535/1048576 = (32·5·787123) / (220) = sum(n8 / 9n)
1160703963/8388608 = (32·47·409·6709) / (223) = sum(n9 / 9n)
21129845715/33554432 = (32·5·11·2213·19289) / (225) = sum(n10 / 9n)


sum(np / 10n)

10/81 = (2·5) / (34) = sum(n / 10n)
110/729 = (2·5·11) / (36) = sum(n2 / 10n)
470/2187 = (2·5·47) / (37) = sum(n3 / 10n)
7370/19683 = (2·5·11·67) / (39) = sum(n4 / 10n)
142870/177147 = (2·5·7·13·157) / (311) = sum(n5 / 10n)
1114190/531441 = (2·5·7·11·1447) / (312) = sum(n6 / 10n)
30495890/4782969 = (2·5·3049589) / (314) = sum(n7 / 10n)
953934190/43046721 = (2·5·11·569·15241) / (316) = sum(n8 / 10n)
3728765410/43046721 = (2·5·372876541) / (316) = sum(n9 / 10n)
145739620510/387420489 = (2·5·11·1324905641) / (318) = sum(n10 / 10n)

Pi’s Guys

3, 7, 15, 1, 292, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 3, 1, 14, 2, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 1, 84, 2, 1, 1, 15, 3, 13, 1, 4, 2, 6, 6, 99, 1, 2, 2, 6, 3, 5, 1, 1, 6, 8, 1, 7, 1, 2, 3, 7, 1, 2, 1, 1, 12, 1, 1, 1, 3, 1, 1, 8, 1, 1, 2, 1, 6, 1, 1, 5, 2, 2, 3, 1, 2, 4, 4, 16, 1, 161, 45, 1, 22, 1, 2, 2, 1, 4, 1, 2, 24, 1, 2, 1, 3, 1, 2, 1, …

The first 5821569425 terms were computed by Eric W. Weisstein on Sep 18 2011.
The first 10672905501 terms were computed by Eric W. Weisstein on Jul 17 2013.
The first 15000000000 terms were computed by Eric W. Weisstein on Jul 27 2013.
The first 30113021586 terms were computed by Syed Fahad on Apr 27 2021.
The first 653520000000 terms were computed by Max Frank, Nov 01 2025.

A001203 Simple continued fraction expansion of Pi.

Sequence Unfurls…

The Fibonacci sequence is beautiful like clockwork. There’s a perfectly clear, rigorously defined mechanism ticking out an entirely predictable result for ever:

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987, 1597, 2584, 4181, 6765, 10946, 17711, 28657, 46368, 75025, 121393, 196418, 317811, 514229, 832040, 1346269, 2178309, 3524578, 5702887, 9227465, 14930352, 24157817, 39088169, 63245986, 102334155, … — A000045 at the Online Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences (OEIS)

And there’s a formula to calculate any term in the sequence without calculating all the terms that precede it:

Binet’s formula for Fn, the n-th Fibonacci number


But I also like sequences that you might call definitely arbitrary. That is, there’s a perfectly clear, rigorously defined mechanism, but the results seem arbitrary — not predictable at all:

6, 15, 5, 22, 6, 3, 30, 9, 7, 2, 45, 15, 6, 5, 1, 36, 14, 6, 5, 3, 1, 62, 22, 16, 6, 5, 3, 2, 69, 21, 15, 4, 9, 5, 2, 1, 84, 30, 15, 9, 6, 7, 2, 2, 1, 56, 22, 13, 7, 3, 5, 2, 0, 0, 0, 142, 45, 22, 15, 12, 6, 9, 5, 3, 1, 2, 53, 17, 8, 4, 5, 1, 6, 3, 1, 1, 1, 0, 124, 36, 27, 14, 18, 6, 6, 5, 2, 3, 1, 1, 0, … A349083 at OEIS

What’s the formula there? That sequence is defined at the OEIS as “The number of three-term Egyptian fractions of rational numbers x/y, 0 < x/y < 1, ordered as below. The sequence is the number of (p,q,r) such that x/y = 1/p + 1/q + 1/r where p, q, and r are integers with p < q < r.” For example: “The sixth rational number is 3/4 [and] 3/4 = 1/2 + 1/5 + 1/20 = 1/2 + 1/6 + 1/12 = 1/3 + 1/4 + 1/5, so a(6)=3.”

Factory Façades

Practically speaking, I’d never heard of them. Practical numbers, that is. They’re defined like this at the Online Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences:

A005153 Practical numbers: positive integers m such that every k <= sigma(m) is a sum of distinct divisors of m. Also called panarithmic numbers. […] Equivalently, positive integers m such that every number k <= m is a sum of distinct divisors of m. — A005153 at OEIS

In other words, if you take, say, divisors(12) = 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, you can find partial sums of those divisors that equal every number from 1 to 16, where 16 = 1+2+3+4+6. Here are all those sums, with c as the count of divisor-sums equalling a particular k (to simplify things, I’m excluding 12 as a divisor of 12):

1, 2, 3, 4, 6 = divisors(12)

01 = 1 (c=1)
02 = 2 (c=1)
03 = 1 + 2 = 3 (c=2)
04 = 1 + 3 = 4 (c=2)
05 = 2 + 3 = 1 + 4 (c=2)
06 = 1 + 2 + 3 = 2 + 4 = 6 (c=3)
07 = 1 + 2 + 4 = 3 + 4 = 1 + 6 (c=3)
08 = 1 + 3 + 4 = 2 + 6 (c=2)
09 = 2 + 3 + 4 = 1 + 2 + 6 = 3 + 6 (c=3)
10 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 1 + 3 + 6 = 4 + 6 (c=3)
11 = 2 + 3 + 6 = 1 + 4 + 6 (c=2)
12 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 6 = 2 + 4 + 6 (c=2)
13 = 1 + 2 + 4 + 6 = 3 + 4 + 6 (c=2)
14 = 1 + 3 + 4 + 6 (c=1)
15 = 2 + 3 + 4 + 6 (c=1)
16 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 6 (c=1)

Learning about practical numbers inspired me to look at the graphs of the count of the divisor-sums for 12. If you include count(0) = 1 (there is one way of choosing divisors of 12 to equal 0, namely, by choosing none of the divisors), the graph looks like this:

counts of divisorsum(12) = k, where 12 = 2^2 * 3 → 1, 2, 3, 4, 6


Here are some more graphs for partialsumcount(n), adjusted for a standardized y-max. They remind me variously of skyscrapers, pyramids, stupas, factories and factory façades, forts bristling with radar antennae, and the Houses of Parliament. All in an art-deco style:

18 = 2 * 3^2 → 1, 2, 3, 6, 9


24 = 2^3 * 3 → 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12


30 = 2 * 3 * 5 → 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 15


36 = 2^2 * 3^2 → 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18


48 = 2^4 * 3 → 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24


54 = 2 * 3^3 → 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 18, 27


60 = 2^2 * 3 * 5 → 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15, 20, 30


72 = 2^3 * 3^2 → 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36


88 = 2^3 * 11 → 1, 2, 4, 8, 11, 22, 44, 88


96 = 2^5 * 3 → 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, 32, 48


100 = 2^2 * 5^2 → 1, 2, 4, 5, 10, 20, 25, 50


108 = 2^2 * 3^3 → 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18, 27, 36, 54


120 = 2^3 * 3 * 5 → 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 24, 30, 40, 60


126 = 2 * 3^2 * 7 → 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 14, 18, 21, 42, 63


162 = 2 * 3^4 → 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 18, 27, 54, 81


220 = 2^2 * 5 * 11 → 1, 2, 4, 5, 10, 11, 20, 22, 44, 55, 110


And what about im-practical numbers, where the partial sums of divisors(m) don’t equal every number 1..sigma(m)? There are interesting fractal patterns to be uncovered there, as you can see from the graph for 190 (because all divsumcount(k) = 1, the graph looks like a bar-code):

190 = 2 * 5 * 19 → 1, 2, 5, 10, 19, 38, 95


Fabulous Furry Fibonacci Fractal

At least, I think it’s a fractal. I came across it when I was counting the ways in which the integers can be the sum of distinct Fibonacci numbers. Here for reference is the Fibonacci sequence, the beautiful and endlessly fertile sequence that’s seeded with “1, 1” and continued by summing the two previous numbers:

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987, 1597, 2584, 4181, 6765, 10946, 17711, 28657, 46368, 75025, 121393, 196418, 317811, 514229, 832040…

I noticed some interesting patterns in the distinct-fib-num-sum count for the integers:

1 = 1 (count=1)
2 = 2 (count=1)
3 = 1+2 = 3 (count=2)
4 = 1+3 (c=1)
5 = 2+3 = 5 (c=2)
6 = 1+2+3 = 1+5 (c=2)
7 = 2+5 (c=1)
8 = 1+2+5 = 3+5 = 8 (c=3)
9 = 1+3+5 = 1+8 (c=2)
10 = 2+3+5 = 2+8 (c=2)
11 = 1+2+3+5 = 1+2+8 = 3+8 (c=3)
12 = 1+3+8 (c=1)
13 = 2+3+8 = 5+8 = 13 (c=3)
14 = 1+2+3+8 = 1+5+8 = 1+13 (c=3)
15 = 2+5+8 = 2+13 (c=2)
16 = 1+2+5+8 = 3+5+8 = 1+2+13 = 3+13 (c=4)
17 = 1+3+5+8 = 1+3+13 (c=2)
18 = 2+3+5+8 = 2+3+13 = 5+13 (c=3)
19 = 1+2+3+5+8 = 1+2+3+13 = 1+5+13 (c=3)
20 = 2+5+13 (c=1)
21 = 1+2+5+13 = 3+5+13 = 8+13 = 21 (c=4)
22 = 1+3+5+13 = 1+8+13 = 1+21 (c=3)
23 = 2+3+5+13 = 2+8+13 = 2+21 (c=3)
24 = 1+2+3+5+13 = 1+2+8+13 = 3+8+13 = 1+2+21 = 3+21 (c=5)
25 = 1+3+8+13 = 1+3+21 (c=2)
26 = 2+3+8+13 = 5+8+13 = 2+3+21 = 5+21 (c=4)
27 = 1+2+3+8+13 = 1+5+8+13 = 1+2+3+21 = 1+5+21 (c=4)
28 = 2+5+8+13 = 2+5+21 (c=2)
29 = 1+2+5+8+13 = 3+5+8+13 = 1+2+5+21 = 3+5+21 = 8+21 (c=5)
30 = 1+3+5+8+13 = 1+3+5+21 = 1+8+21 (c=3)
31 = 2+3+5+8+13 = 2+3+5+21 = 2+8+21 (c=3)
32 = 1+2+3+5+8+13 = 1+2+3+5+21 = 1+2+8+21 = 3+8+21 (c=4)
33 = 1+3+8+21 (c=1)
34 = 2+3+8+21 = 5+8+21 = 13+21 = 34 (c=4)
35 = 1+2+3+8+21 = 1+5+8+21 = 1+13+21 = 1+34 (c=4)
36 = 2+5+8+21 = 2+13+21 = 2+34 (c=3)
37 = 1+2+5+8+21 = 3+5+8+21 = 1+2+13+21 = 3+13+21 = 1+2+34 = 3+34
(c=6)
38 = 1+3+5+8+21 = 1+3+13+21 = 1+3+34 (c=3)
39 = 2+3+5+8+21 = 2+3+13+21 = 5+13+21 = 2+3+34 = 5+34 (c=5)
40 = 1+2+3+5+8+21 = 1+2+3+13+21 = 1+5+13+21 = 1+2+3+34 = 1+5+34
(c=5)
41 = 2+5+13+21 = 2+5+34 (c=2)
42 = 1+2+5+13+21 = 3+5+13+21 = 8+13+21 = 1+2+5+34 = 3+5+34 = 8+3
4 (c=6)
43 = 1+3+5+13+21 = 1+8+13+21 = 1+3+5+34 = 1+8+34 (c=4)
44 = 2+3+5+13+21 = 2+8+13+21 = 2+3+5+34 = 2+8+34 (c=4)
45 = 1+2+3+5+13+21 = 1+2+8+13+21 = 3+8+13+21 = 1+2+3+5+34 = 1+2+
8+34 = 3+8+34 (c=6)
46 = 1+3+8+13+21 = 1+3+8+34 (c=2)
47 = 2+3+8+13+21 = 5+8+13+21 = 2+3+8+34 = 5+8+34 = 13+34 (c=5)
48 = 1+2+3+8+13+21 = 1+5+8+13+21 = 1+2+3+8+34 = 1+5+8+34 = 1+13+
34 (c=5)
49 = 2+5+8+13+21 = 2+5+8+34 = 2+13+34 (c=3)
50 = 1+2+5+8+13+21 = 3+5+8+13+21 = 1+2+5+8+34 = 3+5+8+34 = 1+2+1
3+34 = 3+13+34 (c=6)
51 = 1+3+5+8+13+21 = 1+3+5+8+34 = 1+3+13+34 (c=3)
52 = 2+3+5+8+13+21 = 2+3+5+8+34 = 2+3+13+34 = 5+13+34 (c=4)
53 = 1+2+3+5+8+13+21 = 1+2+3+5+8+34 = 1+2+3+13+34 = 1+5+13+34 (c=4)
54 = 2+5+13+34 (c=1)
55 = 1+2+5+13+34 = 3+5+13+34 = 8+13+34 = 21+34 = 55 (c=5)
56 = 1+3+5+13+34 = 1+8+13+34 = 1+21+34 = 1+55 (c=4)

The patterns are easier to see when the counts are set out like this:

1, 1, 2, 1, 2, 2, 1, 3, 2, 2, 3, 1, 3, 3, 2, 4, 2, 3, 3, 1, 4, 3, 3, 5, 2, 4, 4, 2, 5, 3, 3, 4, 1, 4, 4, 3, 6, 3, 5, 5, 2, 6, 4, 4, 6, 2, 5, 5, 3, 6, 3, 4, 4, 1, 5, 4, 4, 7, 3, 6, 6, 3, 8, 5, 5, 7, 2, 6, 6, 4, 8, 4, 6, 6, 2, 7, 5, 5, 8, 3, 6, 6, 3, 7, 4, 4, 5, 1, 5, 5, 4, 8, 4, 7, 7, 3, 9, 6, 6, 9, 3, 8, 8, 5, 10, 5, 7, 7, 2, 8, 6, 6, 10, 4, 8, 8, 4, 10, 6, 6, 8, 2, 7, 7, 5, 10, 5, 8, 8, 3, 9, 6, 6, 9, 3, 7, 7, 4, 8, 4, 5, 5, 1, 6, 5, 5, 9, 4, 8, 8… 1… — See A000119, Number of representations of n as a sum of distinct Fibonacci numbers, at the Online Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences (OEIS)

The numbers between each pair of 1s are symmetrical:

1, 2, 1,
1, 2, 2, 1,
1, 3, 2, 2, 3, 1,
1, 3, 3, 2, 4, 2, 3, 3, 1
1, 4, 3, 3, 5, 2, 4, 4, 2, 5, 3, 3, 4, 1

And when fibsumcount(n) = 1, then n = fib(i)-1, i.e. n is one less than a Fibonacci number:

1 = 1 (c=1)
2 = 2 (c=1)
4 = 1+3 (c=1)
7 = 2+5 (c=1)
12 = 1+3+8 (c=1)
20 = 2+5+13 (c=1)
33 = 1+3+8+21 (c=1)
54 = 2+5+13+34 (c=1)
88 = 1+3+8+21+55 (c=1)
143 = 2+5+13+34+89 (c=1)
232 = 1+3+8+21+55+144 (c=1)
376 = 2+5+13+34+89+233 (c=1)
609 = 1+3+8+21+55+144+377 (c=1)
986 = 2+5+13+34+89+233+610 (c=1)
1596 = 1+3+8+21+55+144+377+987 (c=1)
2583 = 2+5+13+34+89+233+610+1597 (c=1)
4180 = 1+3+8+21+55+144+377+987+2584 (c=1)
6764 = 2+5+13+34+89+233+610+1597+4181 (c=1)
10945 = 1+3+8+21+55+144+377+987+2584+6765 (c=1)
17710 = 2+5+13+34+89+233+610+1597+4181+10946 (c=1)
[…]

I also noticed a pattern relating to the maximum count reached in the numbers between the 1s. Suppose the function max(fib(i)-1..fib(i+1)-1) returns the highest count of ways to represent the numbers from fib(i)-1 to fib(i+1)-1. Notice how max() increases:

max(2..4) = 2
max(4..7) = 2
max(7..12) = 3
max(12..20) = 4
max(20..33) = 5
max(33..54) = 6
max(54..88) = 8
max(88..143) = 10
max(143..232) = 13
max(232..376) = 16
max(376..609) = 21
max(609..986) = 26
max(986..1596) = 34
max(1596..2583) = 42
max(2583..4180) = 55
max(4180..6764) = 68
[…]

The pattern is described like this at the Online Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences:

a(n) = 1 if and only if n+1 is a Fibonacci number. The length of such a quasi-period (from Fib(i)-1 to Fib(i+1)-1, inclusive) is a Fibonacci number + 1. The maximum value of a(n) within each subsequent quasi-period increases by a Fibonacci number. For example, from n = 143 to n = 232, the maximum is 13. From 232 to 376, the maximum is 16, an increase of 3. From 376 to 609, 21, an increase of 5. From 609 to 986, 26, increasing by 5 again. Each two subsequent maxima seem to increase by the same increment, the next Fibonacci number. – Kerry Mitchell, Nov 14 2009

The maxima of the quasi-periods are in A096748. – Max Barrentine, Sep 13 2015 — See commentary for A000119 at OEIS

Here is A096748:

1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 13, 16, 21, 26, 34, 42, 55, 68, 89, 110, 144, 178, 233, 288, 377, 466, 610, 754, 987, 1220, 1597, 1974, 2584, 3194, 4181, 5168, 6765, 8362, 10946, 13530, 17711, 21892, 28657, 35422, 46368, 57314, 75025, 92736, 121393, 150050 — A096748, Expansion of (1+x)^2/(1-x^2-x^4), at OEIS

These maxima are the succesive highest points in a graph of A000119, Number of representations of n as a sum of distinct Fibonacci numbers:

Graph of count of ways in which 1,2,3… can be sum of distinct Fibonacci numbers


The graph looks like a furry caterpillar or similar and the symmetry of counts between the 1s is more obvious there:

fibsumcounts for 33..54


fibsumcounts for 54..88


fibsumcounts for 88..143


fibsumcounts for 143..232


fibsumcounts for 232..376


fibsumcounts for 376..609


And the fractal nature of the counts is more obvious when the graph is rotated by 90° and then mirrored:

Rotated and mirrored graph of count of ways in which 1,2,3… can be sum of distinct Fibonacci numbers

Piles of Prime Pairs

A087641 Start of the first sequence of exactly n consecutive pairs of twin primes

29, 101, 5, 9419, 909287, 325267931, 678771479, 1107819732821, 170669145704411, 3324648277099157, 789795449254776509

Example: a(6)=325267931 is the starting point of the first occurrence of 6 consecutive pairs of twin primes: (325267931 325267933) (325267937 325267939) (325267949 325267951) (325267961 325267963) (325267979 325267981) (325267991 325267993).

A087641 at the Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences

Abounding in Abundants

This is the famous Ulam spiral, invented by the Jewish mathematician Stanisław Ulam (pronounced OO-lam) to represent prime numbers on a square grid:

The Ulam spiral of prime numbers


The red square represents 1, with 2 as the white block immediately to its right and 3 immediately above 2. Then 5 is the white block one space to the left of 3 and 7 the white block one space below 5. Then 11 is the white block right beside 2 and 13 the white block one space above 11. And so on. The primes aren’t regularly spaced on the spiral but patterns are nevertheless appearing. Here’s the Ulam spiral at higher resolutions:

The Ulam spiral x2


The Ulam spiral x4


The primes are neither regular nor random in their distribution on the spiral. They stand tantalizingly betwixt and between. So the numbers represented on this Ulam-like spiral, which looks like an aerial view of a city designed by architects who occasionally get drunk:

Ulam-like spiral of abundant numbers


The distribution of abundant numbers is much more regular than the primes, but is far from wholly predictable. And what are abundant numbers? They’re numbers n such that sum(divisors(n)-n) > n. In other words, when you add the divisors of n less than n, the sum is greater than n. The first abundant number is 12:

12 is divisible by 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 → 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 6 = 16 > 12

The abundant numbers go like this:

12, 18, 20, 24, 30, 36, 40, 42, 48, 54, 56, 60, 66, 70, 72, 78, 80, 84, 88, 90, 96, 100, 102, 104, 108, 112, 114, 120, 126, 132, 138, 140, 144, 150, 156, 160, 162, 168, 174, 176, 180, 186, 192, 196, 198, 200, 204, 208, 210, 216, 220, 222, 224, 228, 234, 240, 246, 252, 258, 260, 264, 270… — A005101 at the Online Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences

Are all abundant numbers even? No, but the first odd abundant number takes a long time to arrive: it’s 45045. The abundance of 45045 was first discovered by the French mathematician Charles de Bovelles or Carolus Bovillus (c. 1475-1566), according to David Wells in his wonderful Penguin Dictionary of Curious and Interesting Numbers (1986):

45045 = 3^2 * 5 * 7 * 11 * 13 → 1 + 3 + 5 + 7 + 9 + 11 + 13 + 15 + 21 + 33 + 35 + 39 + 45 + 55 + 63 + 65 + 77 + 91 + 99 + 105 + 117 + 143 + 165 + 195 + 231 + 273 + 315 + 385 + 429 + 455 + 495 + 585 + 693 + 715 + 819 + 1001 + 1155 + 1287 + 1365 + 2145 + 3003 + 3465 + 4095 + 5005 + 6435 + 9009 + 15015 = 59787 > 45045

Here’s the spiral of abundant numbers at higher resolutions:

Abundant numbers x2


Abundant numbers x4


Negating the spiral of the abundant numbers — almost — is the spiral of the deficient numbers, where sum(divisors(n)-n) < n. Like most odd numbers, 15 is deficient:

15 = 3 * 5 → 1 + 3 + 5 = 9 < 15

Here’s the spiral of deficient numbers at various resolutions:

Deficient numbers on Ulam-like spiral


Deficient numbers x2


Deficient numbers x4


The spiral of deficient numbers doesn’t quite negate (reverse the colors of) the spiral of abundant numbers because of the very rare perfect numbers, where sum(divisors(n)-n) = n. That is, their factor-sums are exactly equal to themselves:

• 6 = 2 * 3 → 1 + 2 + 3 = 6
• 28 = 2^2 * 7 → 1 + 2 + 4 + 7 + 14 = 28
• 496 = 2^4 * 31 → 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 + 16 + 31 + 62 + 124 + 248 = 496

Now let’s try numbers n such than sum(divisors(n)) mod 2 = 1 (“n mod 2″ gives the remainder when n is divided by 2, i.e. n mod 2 is either 0 or 1). For example:

• 4 = 2^2 → 1 + 2 + 4 = 7 → 7 mod 2 = 1
• 18 = 2 * 3^2 → 1 + 2 + 3 + 6 + 9 + 18 = 39 → 39 mod 2 = 1
• 72 = 2^3 * 3^2 → 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 6 + 8 + 9 + 12 + 18 + 24 + 36 + 72 = 195 → 195 mod 2 = 1

Here are spirals for these numbers:

Ulam-like spiral for n such than sum(divisors(n)) mod 2 = 1


sum(divisors(n)) mod 2 = 1 x2


sum(divisors(n)) mod 2 = 1 x4


sum(divisors(n)) mod 2 = 1 x8


sum(divisors(n)) mod 2 = 1 x16


Power Flip

12 is an interesting number in a lot of ways. Here’s one way I haven’t seen mentioned before:

12 = 3^1 * 2^2


The digits of 12 represent the powers of the primes in its factorization, if primes are represented from right-to-left, like this: …7, 5, 3, 2. But I couldn’t find any more numbers like that in base 10, so I tried a power flip, from right-left to left-right. If the digits from left-to-right represent the primes in the order 2, 3, 5, 7…, then this number is has prime-power digits too:

81312000 = 2^8 * 3^1 * 5^3 * 7^1 * 11^2 * 13^0 * 17^0 * 19^0


Or, more simply, given that n^0 = 1:

81312000 = 2^8 * 3^1 * 5^3 * 7^1 * 11^2


I haven’t found any more left-to-right prime-power digital numbers in base 10, but there are more in other bases. Base 5 yields at least three (I’ve ignored numbers with just two digits in a particular base):

110 in b2 = 2^1 * 3^1 (n=6)
130 in b6 = 2^1 * 3^3 (n=54)
1010 in b2 = 2^1 * 3^0 * 5^1 (n=10)
101 in b3 = 2^1 * 3^0 * 5^1 (n=10)
202 in b7 = 2^2 * 3^0 * 5^2 (n=100)
3020 in b4 = 2^3 * 3^0 * 5^2 (n=200)
330 in b8 = 2^3 * 3^3 (n=216)
13310 in b14 = 2^1 * 3^3 * 5^3 * 7^1 (n=47250)
3032000 in b5 = 2^3 * 3^0 * 5^3 * 7^2 (n=49000)
21302000 in b5 = 2^2 * 3^1 * 5^3 * 7^0 * 11^2 (n=181500)
7810000 in b9 = 2^7 * 3^8 * 5^1 (n=4199040)
81312000 in b10 = 2^8 * 3^1 * 5^3 * 7^1 * 11^2


Post-Performative Post-Scriptum

When I searched for 81312000 at the Online Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences, I discovered that these are Meertens numbers, defined at A246532 as the “base n Godel encoding of x [namely,] 2^d(1) * 3^d(2) * … * prime(k)^d(k), where d(1)d(2)…d(k) is the base n representation of x.”