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Problem packetResearch packetR1246

R1246Sourced 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 51 as open. The unresolved remainder is the full displayed statement. Give a rigorous proof or counterexample that completely resolves this statement: Erdős Problem 51: Let $\varphi$ denote Euler's totient function, which counts the number of integers in $\{1, 2, \ldots, n\}$ that are coprime to $n$. For a positive integer $a$, let $\varphi^{-1}(\{a\})$ denote the set of all positive integers $n$ such that $\varphi(n) = a$, and when this set is nonempty, let $n_a$ denote its least element. Does there exist an infinite set $A$ of positive integers such that $\varphi^{-1}(\{a\})$ is nonempty for every $a \in A$, and the ratio $n_a / a$ tends to infinity as $a$ grows without bound through elements of $A$? That is, does there exist an infinite set $A \subseteq \mathbb{N}$ and a function $n : A \to \mathbb{N}$ such that for every $a \in A$, the integer $n(a)$ is the least element of $\varphi^{-1}(\{a\})$, and $\displaystyle\lim_{\substack{a \to \infty \\ a \in A}} \frac{n(a)}{a} = \infty$?

The record cites sources for its explanation.

Recorded status: reported

Recorded scope: No scope is recorded.

Originating problem: Existence of an Infinite Set of Totient Values with Superlinear Minimal Preimages

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 51 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 51: Let $\varphi$ denote Euler's totient function, which counts the number of integers in $\{1, 2, \ldots, n\}$ that are coprime to $n$. For a positive integer $a$, let $\varphi^{-1}(\{a\})$ denote the set of all positive integers $n$ such that $\varphi(n) = a$, and when this set is nonempty, let $n_a$ denote its least element. Does there exist an infinite set $A$ of positive integers such that $\varphi^{-1}(\{a\})$ is nonempty for every $a \in A$, and the ratio $n_a / a$ tends to infinity as $a$ grows without bound through elements of $A$? That is, does there exist an infinite set $A \subseteq \mathbb{N}$ and a function $n : A \to \mathbb{N}$ such that for every $a \in A$, the integer $n(a)$ is the least element of $\varphi^{-1}(\{a\})$, and $\displaystyle\lim_{\substack{a \to \infty \\ a \in A}} \frac{n(a)}{a} = \infty$?

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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

Copy the structured record when continuing this work with an agent.

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  "ref": "R1246",
  "content_hash": null,
  "slug": "erdos-problem-51-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 51 as open. The unresolved remainder is the full displayed statement. Give a rigorous proof or counterexample that completely resolves this statement: Erdős Problem 51: Let $\\varphi$ denote Euler's totient function, which counts the number of integers in $\\{1, 2, \\ldots, n\\}$ that are coprime to $n$. For a positive integer $a$, let $\\varphi^{-1}(\\{a\\})$ denote the set of all positive integers $n$ such that $\\varphi(n) = a$, and when this set is nonempty, let $n_a$ denote its least element. Does there exist an infinite set $A$ of positive integers such that $\\varphi^{-1}(\\{a\\})$ is nonempty for every $a \\in A$, and the ratio $n_a / a$ tends to infinity as $a$ grows without bound through elements of $A$? That is, does there exist an infinite set $A \\subseteq \\mathbb{N}$ and a function $n : A \\to \\mathbb{N}$ such that for every $a \\in A$, the integer $n(a)$ is the least element of $\\varphi^{-1}(\\{a\\})$, and $\\displaystyle\\lim_{\\substack{a \\to \\infty \\\\ a \\in A}} \\frac{n(a)}{a} = \\infty$?",
  "relevance": "For erdos problem 51, pins the dated research frontier: OPEN as of 2026-07-31. The maintained Erdős Problems database at commit 8138974387d9030542daabe67faaa33eff9356f8 lists Problem 51 as open. The unresolved remainder is the full displayed statement. Give a rigorous proof or counterexample that completely resolves this statement: Erdős Problem 51: Let.",
  "relevance_source": "recorded",
  "body": "OPEN as of 2026-07-31. The maintained Erdős Problems database at commit 8138974387d9030542daabe67faaa33eff9356f8 lists Problem 51 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 51: Let $\\varphi$ denote Euler's totient function, which counts the number of integers in $\\{1, 2, \\ldots, n\\}$ that are coprime to $n$. For a positive integer $a$, let $\\varphi^{-1}(\\{a\\})$ denote the set of all positive integers $n$ such that $\\varphi(n) = a$, and when this set is nonempty, let $n_a$ denote its least element. Does there exist an infinite set $A$ of positive integers such that $\\varphi^{-1}(\\{a\\})$ is nonempty for every $a \\in A$, and the ratio $n_a / a$ tends to infinity as $a$ grows without bound through elements of $A$? That is, does there exist an infinite set $A \\subseteq \\mathbb{N}$ and a function $n : A \\to \\mathbb{N}$ such that for every $a \\in A$, the integer $n(a)$ is the least element of $\\varphi^{-1}(\\{a\\})$, and $\\displaystyle\\lim_{\\substack{a \\to \\infty \\\\ a \\in A}} \\frac{n(a)}{a} = \\infty$?",
  "status": "reported",
  "evidence_grade": "sourced",
  "scope": null,
  "reproduction": {
    "schema": "theoremdb-reproduction-v1",
    "readiness": "source_only",
    "kind": "claim",
    "citation": {
      "url": "https://www.erdosproblems.com/51",
      "locator": "See dataset.references[0] for the exact external source and locator."
    },
    "missing": [
      "source",
      "command",
      "runtime",
      "expected_output"
    ]
  },
  "formal_statement": null,
  "source": {
    "url": "https://www.erdosproblems.com/51",
    "locator": "See dataset.references[0] for the exact external source and locator."
  },
  "models": [],
  "continuation": null,
  "relations": [
    {
      "slug": "R1245",
      "title": "Resolve the stated acceptance condition",
      "object_type": "attempt",
      "relation": "addresses",
      "direction": "incoming"
    },
    {
      "slug": "erdos-problem-51",
      "title": "erdos problem 51",
      "object_type": "problem",
      "relation": "recorded_for",
      "direction": "outgoing"
    }
  ]
}

6Provenance

View source, identifiers, and projection details

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

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