TheoremDB
All problems

[#P2738] Prime exceptions to connectivity of the Markoff graph

Work on this problem in ChatGPT
A neutral vertex and edge schematic for Prime exceptions to connectivity of the Markoff graph.A code-rendered placeholder showing only the mathematical setup.
A neutral schematic of the objects and relations in the statement.

Problem. For each prime \(p\), let \(G_p\) be the graph whose vertices are the nonzero triples \((x,y,z)\in\mathbb F_p^3\) satisfying \(x^2+y^2+z^2=xyz\). Join two vertices when one is obtained from the other by one of the three Vieta involutions \((x,y,z)\mapsto(yz-x,y,z)\), \((x,y,z)\mapsto(x,xz-y,z)\), or \((x,y,z)\mapsto(x,y,xy-z)\). Determine whether \(G_p\) is connected for every prime \(p\), and if it is not, determine every exceptional prime.

1Context

This is a strong-approximation problem with an effective finite residue after current theorems. Independent searches can reuse coordinate-order tables and explicit paths, while a proof can attack the remaining finite range structurally.

2Problem setup

Definition 1. A nonzero triple means a triple other than (0,0,0); individual coordinates may be zero.

Remark 1. Connectivity is ordinary graph connectivity using only the three stated involutions as edges.

3What counts as a solution

  • Prove that G_p is connected for every prime p, or exhibit an exceptional prime and two certified components.
  • If an exceptional prime is found, give complete component data or a machine-checkable certificate that no sequence of the three stated involutions joins the selected representatives.

1Status

Current status (Connectivity is proved below one million and beyond an explicit threshold). Let T=(863#)(53#)(13#)(7#)(5#)3^3 2^5. The graph G_p is connected for every prime 5 <= p < 1,000,000 and every prime p > T; this packet also certifies 40,066 primes with 10,000,000 < p <= 20,000,000. The unresolved p >= 5 cases are the primes in 1,000,000 <= p <= T outside the individual certificates recorded or cited here. Literally, G_2 is connected and G_3 has no vertices, so p=3 still needs a null-graph convention.[1]

1Packet records

10 records

Notes and companion materialContext, examples, and computations

Original intake status. UNKNOWN as of 2026-07-28. Let T=(863#)(53#)(13#)(7#)(5#)3^3 2^5. The graph G_p is connected for every prime 5 <= p < 1,000,000 and every prime p > T; this packet also certifies 40,066 primes with 10,000,000 < p <= 20,000,000. The unresolved p >= 5 cases are the primes in 1,000,000 <= p <= T outside the individual certificates recorded or cited here. Literally, G_2 is connected and G_3 has no vertices, so p=3 still needs a null-graph convention. The checked sources do not settle the full acceptance condition.

  • The dated packet audit checked the exact title, parameter, and the terminology used by the cited primary literature.
  • The strongest recorded neighboring result is: Let T=(863#)(53#)(13#)(7#)(5#)3^3 2^5. The graph G_p is connected for every prime 5 <= p < 1,000,000 and every prime p > T; this packet also certifies 40,066 primes with 10,000,000 < p <= 20,000,000. The unresolved p >= 5 cases are the primes in 1,000,000 <= p <= T outside the individual certificates recorded or cited here. Literally, G_2 is connected and G_3 has no vertices, so p=3 still needs a null-graph convention.
  • The controlled TheoremDB corpus was checked for equivalent formulations and contains no duplicate published target.

Recorded example 1. Over F_5, (3,3,3) is a vertex and applying the first Vieta involution gives the adjacent vertex (1,3,3).

How the 10 records connectTyped relations and evidence flow
How the records connect to the problem

ProblemPrime exceptions to connectivity of the Markoff graph

2See also

How to cite

TheoremDB contributors, “Prime exceptions to connectivity of the Markoff graph,” TheoremDB research memory, snapshot of July 28, 2026. https://theoremdb.org/statements/markoff-graph-prime-connectivity-exceptions

This problem includes 10 records joined by 14 typed links, current as of July 28, 2026.

1References

  1. The maximal-divisor criterion certifies 40,066 primes between ten and twenty million. Eddy et al., Theorem 1.4; Brown, DOI 10.1007/s40993-024-00592-9, Theorem 2; packet claims mgpc-claim-components-through-3001, mgpc-claim-maximal-divisor-10m-20m, and mgpc-claim-small-characteristics; Theorem 1.5 and Section 7, Data on Connectivity; Self-contained implementation of Theorem 1.5, authored and executed 2026-07-28; Theorems 1.4 and 1.5 and Section 7. preprint · primary source · arXiv:2308.07579v1 · checked 2026-07-28Source use: original summary.Connectivity is proved below one million and beyond an explicit threshold. Let T=(863#)(53#)(13#)(7#)(5#)3^3 2^5. The graph G_p is connected for every prime 5 <= p < 1,000,000 and every prime p > T; this packet also certifies 40,066 primes with 10,000,000 < p <= 20,000,000. The unresolved p >= 5 cases are the primes in 1,000,000 <= p <= T outside the individual certificates recorded or cited here. Literally, G_2 is connected and G_3 has no vertices, so p=3 still needs a null-graph convention. The maximal-divisor criterion certifies 40,066 primes between ten and twenty million. An exhaustive exact-integer scan of all 606,028 primes with 10,000,000 < p <= 20,000,000 proves G_p connected for 40,066 of them by the criterion of Eddy, Fuchs, Litman, Martin, and Tripeny. Exact maximal-divisor criterion scan. Inline Python factors both neighboring even integers for every prime in the interval, enumerates all thresholds, and tests the two published intervals with integer arithmetic. Dated.Also cited at Primary sources checked on 2026-07-27 call universal connectivity conjectural and provide large theoretical and computational ranges, but the audit did not exhaust later literature.Also cited at Theorems 1.4 and 1.5 and Section 7.Also cited at Eddy et al., Theorem 1.4; Brown, DOI 10.1007/s40993-024-00592-9, Theorem 2; packet claims mgpc-claim-components-through-3001, mgpc-claim-maximal-divisor-10m-20m, and mgpc-claim-small-characteristics.Also cited at Theorem 1.5 and Section 7, Data on Connectivity.Primary sources checked on 2026-07-27 call universal connectivity conjectural and provide large theoretical and computational ranges, but the audit did not exhaust later literature.Source used to assess the problem's recorded status.
  2. Matthew de Courcy-Ireland and Seungjae Lee, “Experiments with the Markoff surface”. arXiv:1812.07275 (2018). Independent exact reproduction and extension through p=3001; compare the p<3000 connectivity computation and Proposition 2.1; Introduction, p<3000 computation, and Proposition 2.1. preprint · primary source · arXiv:1812.07275, version checked 2026-07-28 · checked 2026-07-28Source use: original summary.Exact Vieta enumeration connects every G_p for 5 <= p <= 3001. A full breadth-first search visits all 1,169,185,980 nonorigin surface points across all 429 primes with 5 <= p <= 3001 and finds one component at every prime. Dated source and convention audit. The checked primary literature still treats universal connectivity as open for p>=5, while proving a finite effective remainder and several broad or bounded regions.Also cited at Introduction, p<3000 computation, and Proposition 2.1.Also cited at Independent exact reproduction and extension through p=3001; compare the p<3000 connectivity computation and Proposition 2.1.For Prime exceptions to connectivity of the Markoff graph: Exact Vieta enumeration connects every G_p for 5 <= p <= 3001. A full breadth-first search visits all 1,169,185,980 nonorigin surface points across all 429 primes with 5 <= p <= 3001 and finds one component at every prime. Dated source and convention audit. The checked primary literature still treats universal connectivity as open for p>=5, while proving a finite effective remainder and several broad or bounded regions.
  3. Colby Austin Brown, “An almost linear time algorithm testing whether the Markoff graph modulo p is connected”. Research in Number Theory 11(1) (2025), 6. DOI 10.1007/s40993-024-00592-9. Brown, Theorem 2 and Sections 1 and 4; source comparison completed 2026-07-28; Theorem 2, definition before Figure 2, and Section 4; Brown, Introduction, comparison with O(p^2) flood fill; packet artifact gives measured small-p execution; Brown, Algorithm 3, Section 4, and the libbgs repository at the pinned commit. open copy ↗journal article · primary source · version of record · checked 2026-07-28Source use: original summary.Dated source and convention audit. The checked primary literature still treats universal connectivity as open for p>=5, while proving a finite effective remainder and several broad or bounded regions. Full-vertex flood fill has quadratic state cost. The route gives complete component and path certificates at small p, while its state count prevents it from crossing the unresolved effective interval. Shard the criterion scan, then route failures to the almost-linear test. Scan every prime with 20,000,000 < p <= 100,000,000 in ten-million shards, preserve exact violating thresholds, and send criterion failures to Brown's stronger algorithm.Also cited at Theorem 2 and Sections 1 and 4.Also cited at The wording and acceptance packet were written by the contributor after checking current primary literature on the Markoff mod-p graph.Also cited at Theorem 2, definition before Figure 2, and Section 4.Also cited at Brown, Introduction, comparison with O(p^2) flood fill; packet artifact gives measured small-p execution.Also cited at Brown, Algorithm 3, Section 4, and the libbgs repository at the pinned commit.Primary sources checked on 2026-07-27 call universal connectivity conjectural and provide large theoretical and computational ranges, but the audit did not exhaust later literature.Source used to formulate or check the problem record.Source used to assess the problem's recorded status.For Prime exceptions to connectivity of the Markoff graph: The route gives complete component and path certificates at small p, while its state count prevents it from crossing the unresolved effective interval.
  4. Colby Austin Brown, libbgs, Markoff-graph connectivity software, GitHub commit ff9360aa1ed14a35a55511d59a75d8d95fbbdf60 (2026). Repository implementation used to generate the prime connectivity table. software · software source · commit ff9360aa1ed14a35a55511d59a75d8d95fbbdf60 · checked 2026-07-28Source use: original summary.Provides the implementation used for the packet's independent connectivity checks.For Prime exceptions to connectivity of the Markoff graph: Provides the implementation used for the packet's independent connectivity checks.
  5. William Chen, “Nonabelian level structures, Nielsen equivalence, and Markoff triples”. arXiv:2011.12940 (2020). Markoff transitivity corollary. preprint · primary source · arXiv:2011.12940v2 · checked 2026-07-28Source use: original summary.Dated source and convention audit. The checked primary literature still treats universal connectivity as open for p>=5, while proving a finite effective remainder and several broad or bounded regions.Also cited at Primary sources checked on 2026-07-27 call universal connectivity conjectural and provide large theoretical and computational ranges, but the audit did not exhaust later literature.Primary sources checked on 2026-07-27 call universal connectivity conjectural and provide large theoretical and computational ranges, but the audit did not exhaust later literature.Source used to assess the problem's recorded status.For Prime exceptions to connectivity of the Markoff graph: Primary sources checked on 2026-07-27 call universal connectivity conjectural and provide large theoretical and computational ranges, but the audit did not exhaust later literature.
  6. Daniel E. Martin, “A new proof of Chen's theorem for Markoff graphs”. arXiv:2502.15960 (2025). Abstract and Markoff component-divisibility theorem. preprint · primary source · arXiv:2502.15960v1 · checked 2026-07-28Source use: original summary.Dated source and convention audit. The checked primary literature still treats universal connectivity as open for p>=5, while proving a finite effective remainder and several broad or bounded regions.For Prime exceptions to connectivity of the Markoff graph: Dated source and convention audit. The checked primary literature still treats universal connectivity as open for p>=5, while proving a finite effective remainder and several broad or bounded regions.
  7. Elisa Bellah, Claire Dunn, Vernon Naidu, and Alette Wells, “Connectedness of special points in the Markoff mod $p$ graphs”. arXiv:2511.23401 (2025). Abstract and main theorem. preprint · primary source · arXiv:2511.23401v1 · checked 2026-07-28Source use: original summary.Dated source and convention audit. The checked primary literature still treats universal connectivity as open for p>=5, while proving a finite effective remainder and several broad or bounded regions.For Prime exceptions to connectivity of the Markoff graph: Dated source and convention audit. The checked primary literature still treats universal connectivity as open for p>=5, while proving a finite effective remainder and several broad or bounded regions.
  8. Shohei Satake and Yoshinori Yamasaki, “Topological properties of generalized Markoff mod $p$ graphs”. arXiv:2512.21963 (2025). Abstract; generalized level parameter and topological properties. preprint · primary source · arXiv:2512.21963v1 · checked 2026-07-28Source use: original summary.nearby generalized-level result, not a universal connectivity theorem for the zero levelFor Prime exceptions to connectivity of the Markoff graph: nearby generalized-level result, not a universal connectivity theorem for the zero level

CC0 formulation of the prime-connectivity question with the graph convention written into the statement.

Flag this problem

Report a problem

Your ChatGPT account

Opening ChatGPT

ChatGPT is opening in a new tab.