Improved sum-difference inequalities in abelian groups

Primarily AI-generated textHuman understanding: some partsmath.NT — Number Theorymath.CO — Combinatorics

Contributed by Logan Kleinwaks ↗

Version 1 / Oct 07, 2026 / CC BY 4.0

Abstract

For all finite subsets X,YX,Y of an abelian group, we prove \[ |X-Y|\le |X+Y|^{\lamI},\qquad \lamI=\frac{9451\e-3286}{5378\e+787}=1.454277448906\ldots, \] improving the classical exponent 3/23/2. We also prove that a universal two-set exponent λ\lambda over the integers implies an upper bound 2−1/λ2-1/\lambda for the Gyarmati--Hennecart--Ruzsa constant, the supremum θ∗\theta^* of tt such that ∣A−B∣≫∣A+B∣t|A-B|\gg|A+B|^t and ∣A+B∣≪∣A∣|A+B|\ll|A| for arbitrarily large A,B⊂ZA,B\subset\Z. Consequently, \[ \theta^*\le\frac{13524\e-7359}{9451\e-3286}=1.312373302115\ldots, \] improving their bound 4/34/3. The first argument combines a coupling with distinct differences, entropy inequalities for independent sums, a finite certificate using non-Shannon inequalities, and an explicit limiting certificate with weights $\int_0^1t(1-t)^k\e^t\,dt$. The transfer uses localisation and the Pl\"unnecke--Ruzsa inequality over a sequence of scales. The proofs are formalised in Lean~4.

Provenance statement

All mathematical formalisation was performed by Aristotle (Harmonic), which also simplified the formalisation under the author's instructions. Research and proof derivation were performed using Aristotle, GPT-6 Astra, and GPT-5.6 Sol. The author wrote the research-loop instructions; additional research instructions were generated by GPT-6 Astra and GPT-5.6 Sol. Aristotle wrote the initial manuscript under the author's instructions. The manuscript was revised by GPT-6 Astra under the author's instructions and by the author. The author contributed no deep problem-specific insight, the results were obtained through the author's work on more general mathematical research loops. The mathematical results in Theorems 2.1-2.2, Corollary 2.3, and the lemmas and propositions used in their proofs have counterparts in the accompanying Lean 4 formalisation. Appendix A gives the correspondence and explains the representation of finite laws.
FormalizationsPalomar

Tools used

OpenAI
ChatGPTVersion GPT-6 Astra
Harmonic
Aristotle
OpenAI
ChatGPTVersion GPT-5.6 Sol

References

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Version history

  1. v1Submitted by Logan KleinwaksInitial depositCurrentOct 07, 2026