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Problem packetResearch packetR1238

R1238Sourced evidence

Current status and unresolved remainder

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Authored summary

OPEN as of 2026-07-31. The maintained Erdős Problems database at commit 8138974387d9030542daabe67faaa33eff9356f8 lists Problem 40 as open. The unresolved remainder is the full displayed statement. Give a rigorous proof or counterexample that completely resolves this statement: Erdős Problem 40: For a set $A \subseteq \mathbb{N}$ and a positive integer $N$, let $|A \cap \{1, \ldots, N\}|$ denote the cardinality of the intersection. For $n \in \mathbb{N}$, define the representation function $(1_A * 1_A)(n)$ as the number of ordered pairs $(a, b) \in A \times A$ such that $a + b = n$. We say that a property holds for sets $A$ satisfying $|A \cap \{1, \ldots, N\}| \gg \frac{\sqrt{N}}{g(N)}$ if there exists a positive constant $C$ such that $|A \cap \{1, \ldots, N\}| \geq C \cdot \frac{\sqrt{N}}{g(N)}$ for all sufficiently large $N$. A function $g: \mathbb{N} \to \mathbb{R}$ tends to infinity if for every $M > 0$, there exists $N_0$ such that $g(N) > M$ for all $N \geq N_0$. Determine the set of all functions $g: \mathbb{N} \to \mathbb{R}$ tending to infinity such that for every set $A \subseteq \mathbb{N}$ satisfying $|A \cap \{1, \ldots, N\}| \gg \frac{\sqrt{N}}{g(N)}$, we have $\limsup_{n \to \infty} (1_A * 1_A)(n) = \infty$.

The record cites sources for its explanation.

Recorded status: reported

Recorded scope: No scope is recorded.

Originating problem: Erdős Problem 40 on additive bases with slow growth

Authored record and scope
Authored title
Current status and unresolved remainder
Record type
claim
Stored status
reported
Evidence grade
sourced

2Authored explanation

OPEN as of 2026-07-31. The maintained Erdős Problems database at commit 8138974387d9030542daabe67faaa33eff9356f8 lists Problem 40 as open. The unresolved remainder is the full displayed statement.

A complete resolution must satisfy this condition: Give a rigorous proof or counterexample that completely resolves this statement: Erdős Problem 40: For a set $A \subseteq \mathbb{N}$ and a positive integer $N$, let $|A \cap \{1, \ldots, N\}|$ denote the cardinality of the intersection. For $n \in \mathbb{N}$, define the representation function $(1_A * 1_A)(n)$ as the number of ordered pairs $(a, b) \in A \times A$ such that $a + b = n$. We say that a property holds for sets $A$ satisfying $|A \cap \{1, \ldots, N\}| \gg \frac{\sqrt{N}}{g(N)}$ if there exists a positive constant $C$ such that $|A \cap \{1, \ldots, N\}| \geq C \cdot \frac{\sqrt{N}}{g(N)}$ for all sufficiently large $N$. A function $g: \mathbb{N} \to \mathbb{R}$ tends to infinity if for every $M > 0$, there exists $N_0$ such that $g(N) > M$ for all $N \geq N_0$. Determine the set of all functions $g: \mathbb{N} \to \mathbb{R}$ tending to infinity such that for every set $A \subseteq \mathbb{N}$ satisfying $|A \cap \{1, \ldots, N\}| \gg \frac{\sqrt{N}}{g(N)}$, we have $\limsup_{n \to \infty} (1_A * 1_A)(n) = \infty$.

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Replay material: source only

3Evidence

Replay package: source only

A verification source is cited. This record has no executable replay attached.

Verification source: www.erdosproblems.com ↗, See dataset.references[0] for the exact external source and locator.

4How it connects

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Recorded for

Machine-readable record

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  "schema": "theoremdb-agent-record-v1",
  "ref": "R1238",
  "content_hash": null,
  "slug": "erdos-problem-40-claim-status-20260731",
  "type": "claim",
  "title": "Current status and unresolved remainder",
  "summary": "OPEN as of 2026-07-31. The maintained Erdős Problems database at commit 8138974387d9030542daabe67faaa33eff9356f8 lists Problem 40 as open. The unresolved remainder is the full displayed statement. Give a rigorous proof or counterexample that completely resolves this statement: Erdős Problem 40: For a set $A \\subseteq \\mathbb{N}$ and a positive integer $N$, let $|A \\cap \\{1, \\ldots, N\\}|$ denote the cardinality of the intersection. For $n \\in \\mathbb{N}$, define the representation function $(1_A * 1_A)(n)$ as the number of ordered pairs $(a, b) \\in A \\times A$ such that $a + b = n$. We say that a property holds for sets $A$ satisfying $|A \\cap \\{1, \\ldots, N\\}| \\gg \\frac{\\sqrt{N}}{g(N)}$ if there exists a positive constant $C$ such that $|A \\cap \\{1, \\ldots, N\\}| \\geq C \\cdot \\frac{\\sqrt{N}}{g(N)}$ for all sufficiently large $N$. A function $g: \\mathbb{N} \\to \\mathbb{R}$ tends to infinity if for every $M > 0$, there exists $N_0$ such that $g(N) > M$ for all $N \\geq N_0$. Determine the set of all functions $g: \\mathbb{N} \\to \\mathbb{R}$ tending to infinity such that for every set $A \\subseteq \\mathbb{N}$ satisfying $|A \\cap \\{1, \\ldots, N\\}| \\gg \\frac{\\sqrt{N}}{g(N)}$, we have $\\limsup_{n \\to \\infty} (1_A * 1_A)(n) = \\infty$.",
  "relevance": "For erdos problem 40, pins the dated research frontier: OPEN as of 2026-07-31. The maintained Erdős Problems database at commit 8138974387d9030542daabe67faaa33eff9356f8 lists Problem 40 as open. The unresolved remainder is the full displayed statement. Give a rigorous proof or counterexample that completely resolves this statement: Erdős Problem 40: For.",
  "relevance_source": "recorded",
  "body": "OPEN as of 2026-07-31. The maintained Erdős Problems database at commit 8138974387d9030542daabe67faaa33eff9356f8 lists Problem 40 as open. The unresolved remainder is the full displayed statement.\n\nA complete resolution must satisfy this condition: Give a rigorous proof or counterexample that completely resolves this statement: Erdős Problem 40: For a set $A \\subseteq \\mathbb{N}$ and a positive integer $N$, let $|A \\cap \\{1, \\ldots, N\\}|$ denote the cardinality of the intersection. For $n \\in \\mathbb{N}$, define the representation function $(1_A * 1_A)(n)$ as the number of ordered pairs $(a, b) \\in A \\times A$ such that $a + b = n$. We say that a property holds for sets $A$ satisfying $|A \\cap \\{1, \\ldots, N\\}| \\gg \\frac{\\sqrt{N}}{g(N)}$ if there exists a positive constant $C$ such that $|A \\cap \\{1, \\ldots, N\\}| \\geq C \\cdot \\frac{\\sqrt{N}}{g(N)}$ for all sufficiently large $N$. A function $g: \\mathbb{N} \\to \\mathbb{R}$ tends to infinity if for every $M > 0$, there exists $N_0$ such that $g(N) > M$ for all $N \\geq N_0$. Determine the set of all functions $g: \\mathbb{N} \\to \\mathbb{R}$ tending to infinity such that for every set $A \\subseteq \\mathbb{N}$ satisfying $|A \\cap \\{1, \\ldots, N\\}| \\gg \\frac{\\sqrt{N}}{g(N)}$, we have $\\limsup_{n \\to \\infty} (1_A * 1_A)(n) = \\infty$.",
  "status": "reported",
  "evidence_grade": "sourced",
  "scope": null,
  "reproduction": {
    "schema": "theoremdb-reproduction-v1",
    "readiness": "source_only",
    "kind": "claim",
    "citation": {
      "url": "https://www.erdosproblems.com/40",
      "locator": "See dataset.references[0] for the exact external source and locator."
    },
    "missing": [
      "source",
      "command",
      "runtime",
      "expected_output"
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  "formal_statement": null,
  "source": {
    "url": "https://www.erdosproblems.com/40",
    "locator": "See dataset.references[0] for the exact external source and locator."
  },
  "models": [],
  "continuation": null,
  "relations": [
    {
      "slug": "R1237",
      "title": "Resolve the stated acceptance condition",
      "object_type": "attempt",
      "relation": "addresses",
      "direction": "incoming"
    },
    {
      "slug": "erdos-problem-40",
      "title": "erdos problem 40",
      "object_type": "problem",
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}

6Provenance

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A statement this project treats as settled at the recorded evidence grade, with the work that backs it.

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