\documentclass[]{interact} \setlength{\voffset}{-.25in} \sloppy % packages already loaded by interact.cls: amsmath,amssymb,amsfonts,amsbsy,amsthm,booktabs,epsfig,graphicx,rotating \usepackage{latexsym} \usepackage{anyfontsize} \usepackage{color} \usepackage{hyperref} \hypersetup{hidelinks} \usepackage{url} \makeatletter \newcommand{\monthyear}[1]{% \def\@monthyear{\uppercase{#1}}} \newcommand{\volnumber}[1]{% \def\@volnumber{\uppercase{#1}}} \makeatother \newcommand{\N}{{\mathbb N}} \newcommand{\zenodoID}{10.5281/zenodo.23385265} \newcommand{\preprintURL}{https://github.com/creelie/musical-rotary-phone/blob/main/preprintKimberlingConjecture/KimberlingConjecture.pdf} \newcommand{\fl}[1]{\left\lfloor #1\right\rfloor} \theoremstyle{plain} \numberwithin{equation}{section} \newtheorem{thm}{Theorem}[section] \newtheorem{theorem}[thm]{Theorem} \newtheorem{lemma}[thm]{Lemma} \newtheorem{proposition}[thm]{Proposition} \newtheorem{corollary}[thm]{Corollary} \theoremstyle{definition} \newtheorem{conjecture}[thm]{Conjecture} \begin{document} \monthyear{Month Year} \volnumber{Volume, Number} \setcounter{page}{1} \title{The Number of Terms in Greedy Fibonacci--Lucas Representations} \author{ \name{Deep Bhattacharjee\textsuperscript{a}\thanks{\raggedright CONTACT Deep Bhattacharjee (corresponding author). Email: itsdeep@live.com (primary), d.bhattacharjee@erl-forschung.de. ORCID: 0000-0003-0466-750X. Ushashi Bhattacharya. Email: rai.bhattacharya.in@gmail.com. ORCID: 0009-0002-2254-3914.} and Ushashi Bhattacharya\textsuperscript{b}} \affil{\textsuperscript{a}Formerly, Electro-Gravitational Space Propulsion Laboratory (EGSPL), Bhubaneswar, Odisha 751030, India; \textsuperscript{b}Formerly, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106319, Taiwan} } \maketitle {\bf Article type}: research \bigskip \begin{abstract} We prove Kimberling's conjecture on greedy representations by Fibonacci and Lucas numbers: the ratio of the number of Zeckendorf summands of $1,\dots,n$ to the number of terms of their greedy representations tends to a limit in $(1.2,1.4)$, and the limit is $(5-\sqrt5)/2$. We also prove the conjectures of Greathouse and Kurkov on the number of terms of the greedy representation. \end{abstract} \begin{keywords} Fibonacci numbers; Lucas numbers; Zeckendorf representation; greedy algorithm; summatory function; formal verification \end{keywords} %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% \section{Introduction}\label{sec:intro} Let $F_k$ and $L_k$ be the Fibonacci and Lucas numbers, $F_0=0$, $F_1=1$, $L_0=2$, $L_1=1$, let $\varphi=(1+\sqrt5)/2$ and $\psi=(1-\sqrt5)/2$, and let \[ S=\{1,2,3,4,5,7,8,11,13,18,21,29,\dots\} \] be the set of positive Fibonacci and Lucas numbers (A116470 in the OEIS \cite{OEIS}). For $n\ge 1$ let $g(n)$ be the largest element of $S$ that is at most $n$. The greedy algorithm subtracts $g(n)$ from $n$ and repeats; the number of terms it produces is \[ a(0)=0,\qquad a(n)=1+a(n-g(n))\quad(n\ge1), \] which is A214973. Let $z(n)$ be the number of terms in the Zeckendorf representation of $n$ (A007895), and let \[ W(n)=\sum_{i=1}^n a(i),\qquad V(n)=\sum_{i=1}^n z(i) \] be A214981 and A179180. Representations by Lucas numbers go back to Carlitz, Scoville and Hoggatt \cite{CSH72}. Kimberling \cite[Section~6]{Kim20} recorded the following conjecture, also stated in A214981. \begin{conjecture}[Kimberling]\label{conj:kim} The limit of $V(n)/W(n)$ exists and lies in the interval $(1.2,1.4)$. \end{conjecture} Two more conjectures, from 2021, are recorded in A214973. Let $\mathrm{A049651}(j)=(F_{3j+1}-1)/2$. \begin{conjecture}[Greathouse]\label{conj:gh} For every $j\ge1$, $a(\mathrm{A049651}(j))=j$, and this is the first occurrence of $j$ in A214973; that is, apart from its initial term, A049651 is the sequence of record positions of A214973. \end{conjecture} The statement that A049651$(j)$ is the least $n$ with $a(n)=j$ appeared earlier, without proof, in a 2012 comment by Kimberling in A049651. \begin{conjecture}[Kurkov]\label{conj:kur} For every $n\ge1$, $a(n)=\mathrm{A329320}(\mathrm{A048679}(n))$. \end{conjecture} Here, if $n=F_{k_1}+\cdots+F_{k_s}$ is the Zeckendorf representation of $n$, with $k_1>\cdots>k_s\ge2$ and $k_i-k_{i+1}\ge2$, then $\mathrm{A003714}(n)=\sum_i 2^{k_i-2}$, whose binary word has no two adjacent ones. Preceded by a zero, such a word is a concatenation of the words $0$ and $01$ in exactly one way, and $\mathrm{A048679}(n)$ is the number whose binary word is obtained by replacing each factor $01$ by $1$. Finally $\mathrm{A035263}(m)$ is the parity of the $2$-adic valuation $\nu_2(2m)$, and \[ \mathrm{A329320}(y)=\sum_{k=0}^{\fl{\log_2 y}}\bigl(1-\mathrm{A035263}(1+\fl{y/2^k})\bigr),\qquad \mathrm{A329320}(0)=0. \] For $x\ge1$ let $K(x)$ be the index $k\ge2$ with $F_k\le x19, \end{equation} and $V(n)/W(n)\to(5-\sqrt5)/2=1.38196\ldots$, which lies in $(1.2,1.4)$. In particular Conjecture~\ref{conj:kim} holds. \end{theorem} The formula for $V(n)$ agrees with Lekkerkerker's theorem on the average number of Zeckendorf summands \cite{Lek52,KKMW11}, since $c/5=1/(\varphi^2+1)$. Pihko \cite{Pih88} proved the analogues of that theorem for the minimal and maximal Lucas representations and the maximal Fibonacci representation. Theorem~\ref{thm:kim} shows that the greedy algorithm over $S$ uses on average $\frac15\log_\varphi n$ terms. \begin{theorem}\label{thm:gh} For every $j\ge1$, $a(\mathrm{A049651}(j))=j$ and $a(m)F_{k+1}$. So $L_{k-1}$ is the only Lucas number in $(F_k,F_{k+1})$. \end{proof} \begin{figure}[t] \centering \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{figures/fig_greedy.png} \caption{The greedy step on $[F_k,F_{k+1})$, drawn to scale for $k=9$. By Lemma~\ref{lem:block} the block $[F_k,L_{k-1})$, of length $F_{k-2}$, is moved onto $[0,F_{k-2})$ by subtracting $F_k$, and the block $[L_{k-1},F_{k+1})$, of length $F_{k-3}$, onto $[0,F_{k-3})$ by subtracting $L_{k-1}$. The same three blocks give the decompositions \eqref{eq:T1} and \eqref{eq:T2} of the summatory function.} \label{fig:greedy} \end{figure} For $1\le n\le2$ we have $a(n)=1$. The Zeckendorf representation satisfies $z(n)=1+z(n-F_k)$ for $F_k\le nL_{k-1}$, let $r=x-L_{k-1}e$. Hence $0\le x\lambda(x)-n\lambda(n)\le K+3\le n+5$. In the identity \[ 5W(n)-n\lambda(n)=\bigl(5T(x)-Kx\bigr)+\bigl(K-\lambda(x)\bigr)x+\bigl(x\lambda(x)-n\lambda(n)\bigr) \] the three terms lie in $[-19x,19x]$, $[0,2x]$ and $[0,n+5]$, so $-19(n+1)\le 5W(n)-n\lambda(n)\le 21(n+1)+n+5\le 48n$ for $n\ge1$. In the same way, since $0\cdots>h_s\ge0$, and $h_i-h_{i+1}=1$ if and only if $k_i-k_{i+1}=2$. \end{lemma} \begin{proof} The binary word of $\mathrm{A003714}(n)$, preceded by a zero, consists of the factors $01$ occupying positions $k_i-1,k_i-2$ ($1\le i\le s$; position $0$ is the units digit), separated by zeros. These factors are disjoint because $k_{i+1}-1\le k_i-3$. Replacing each $01$ by $1$ moves the digit at position $k_i-2$ down by one place for each of the $s-i$ factors below it, so it lands at position $h_i$. Finally $h_i-h_{i+1}=k_i-k_{i+1}-1\ge1$ and $h_s=k_s-2\ge0$. \end{proof} \begin{lemma}\label{lem:A329320} For $y\ge0$, $\mathrm{A329320}(y)=\sum\lceil\ell/2\rceil$, the sum over the maximal blocks of consecutive ones in the binary word of $y$, of lengths $\ell$. \end{lemma} \begin{proof} Since $\nu_2(2m)=1+\nu_2(m)$, we have $1-\mathrm{A035263}(1+u)=\nu_2(u+1)\bmod2$, and $\nu_2(\fl{y/2^k}+1)$ is the number of consecutive ones of $y$ starting at position $k$ and going up. This number is $0$ if the digit at position $k$ is $0$, and, along a block of $\ell$ ones, it takes the values $\ell,\ell-1,\dots,1$, of which $\lceil\ell/2\rceil$ are odd. The sum defining $\mathrm{A329320}(y)$ runs over the positions $0,\dots,\fl{\log_2y}$, which contain every block. \end{proof} \begin{proof}[Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:kur}] For $n=0$ both sides are $0$. For $n\ge1$, Lemma~\ref{lem:compress} shows that the blocks of ones of $\mathrm{A048679}(n)$ correspond to the chains of the Zeckendorf representation of $n$, with the same lengths. Lemma~\ref{lem:A329320} and Corollary~\ref{cor:chains} give $\mathrm{A329320}(\mathrm{A048679}(n))=\sum_i\lceil\ell_i/2\rceil=a(n)$. Figure~\ref{fig:chains} follows the argument for $n=595$. \end{proof} \begin{figure}[t] \centering \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{figures/fig_chains.png} \caption{Kurkov's formula for $n=595=F_{14}+F_{12}+F_{10}+F_7+F_5+F_2$. The Zeckendorf indices form the chains $14,12,10$, then $7,5$, then $2$, and the greedy algorithm uses $L_{13}=F_{14}+F_{12}$, $F_{10}$, $L_6=F_7+F_5$ and $F_2$, so $a(595)=4$ (Corollary~\ref{cor:chains}). The binary word of $\mathrm{A003714}(595)$, preceded by a zero, splits into the factors $01$ and $0$; replacing each $01$ by $1$ gives $\mathrm{A048679}(595)=237$, whose blocks of ones have the lengths of the chains (Lemma~\ref{lem:compress}), and $\mathrm{A329320}(237)=4$ (Lemma~\ref{lem:A329320}).} \label{fig:chains} \end{figure} %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% \section{Formal verification}\label{sec:lean} Theorems~\ref{thm:kim}, \ref{thm:gh} and \ref{thm:kur} are formalized in Lean~4 \cite{MU21} with Mathlib \cite{Mathlib20}, version~4.34.1, and the formal proofs are checked by the Lean kernel. The formalization defines the sequences directly from their entries in the OEIS: $a$ by the greedy recursion over the positive Fibonacci and Lucas numbers, $z$ as the length of the Zeckendorf representation, $W$ and $V$ as sums over $1\le i\le n$, $\mathrm{A048679}$ by the rewriting of binary digits described in Section~\ref{sec:intro}, and $\mathrm{A329320}$ by the displayed sum. It proves the bounds \eqref{eq:bounds}, the explicit formulas \eqref{eq:asym}, the limit $V(n)/W(n)\to(5-\sqrt5)/2$ together with $6/5<(5-\sqrt5)/2<7/5$, Theorem~\ref{thm:gh} for every $j$, and Theorem~\ref{thm:kur} for every $n\ge0$. In the formal proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:kur} the induction runs on the Zeckendorf representation through the recursion $\mathrm{A329320}(2^{Q+1}+u)=\mathrm{A329320}(2^{Q+1}+2^Q+u)=1+\mathrm{A329320}(u)$ for $u<2^Q$, in place of Lemma~\ref{lem:A329320}. The proofs depend only on the axioms of Lean's logic, namely propositional extensionality, choice and the soundness of quotients; they have no unproved step and add no axiom. Independent computations in exact integer arithmetic, from the definitions of the sequences, confirm \eqref{eq:bounds} for $x\le10^8+1$, Lemma~\ref{lem:Tfib} and the formula of Lemma~\ref{lem:Zfib} for $F_k\le10^8+1$, Theorems~\ref{thm:gh} and \ref{thm:kur} and Lemma~\ref{lem:pairing} for $n\le10^8$, and Lemmas~\ref{lem:block}, \ref{lem:Tfib} and \ref{lem:Zfib} for $k\le400$; they agree with the terms of the sequences recorded in the OEIS. The ratio $V(n)/W(n)$ equals $1.3421$ at $n=10^6$ and $1.3588$ at $n=10^8$. \section*{Acknowledgements} The authors used the generative AI tool Claude (Anthropic), through Claude Code, to assist with the proofs, the Lean formalization, the computations and the preparation of this article. The authors reviewed and edited the content and take full responsibility for it. \section*{Disclosure statement} Competing interests: none. \section*{Funding} None. \section*{Data availability} \begingroup\raggedright Deep Bhattacharjee computed the Lean formalization and the Julia, C, C++, shell and Python computations with the help of AI assistance (Claude, Anthropic). The Lean formalization of the proofs in this paper is archived at Zenodo, doi:\href{https://doi.org/\zenodoID}{\zenodoID}. The paper is available at \url{\preprintURL}.\par \endgroup %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% \begin{thebibliography}{99} \bibitem{CSH72} Carlitz, L., Scoville, R., Hoggatt, V. E., Jr. (1972). Lucas representations. \emph{Fibonacci Quart.} 10(1): 29--42. \url{https://doi.org/10.1080/00150517.1972.12430968} \bibitem{MU21} de Moura, L., Ullrich, S. (2021). The Lean 4 theorem prover and programming language. In: Platzer, A., Sutcliffe, G., eds. \emph{Automated Deduction -- CADE 28}. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol. 12699. Cham: Springer, pp. 625--635. \url{https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-79876-5_37} \bibitem{Kim20} Kimberling, C. (2020). Lucas representations of positive integers. \emph{J. Integer Seq.} 23: Article 20.9.5. \url{https://cs.uwaterloo.ca/journals/JIS/VOL23/Kimberling/kimber12.html} \bibitem{KKMW11} Kolo\u{g}lu, M., Kopp, G. S., Miller, S. J., Wang, Y. (2011). On the number of summands in Zeckendorf decompositions. \emph{Fibonacci Quart.} 49(2): 116--130. \url{https://doi.org/10.1080/00150517.2011.12428056} \bibitem{Lek52} Lekkerkerker, C. G. (1952). Voorstelling van natuurlijke getallen door een som van getallen van Fibonacci. \emph{Simon Stevin} 29: 190--195. \bibitem{Mathlib20} The mathlib Community (2020). The Lean mathematical library. In: \emph{Proceedings of the 9th ACM SIGPLAN International Conference on Certified Programs and Proofs}. New York: ACM, pp. 367--381. \url{https://doi.org/10.1145/3372885.3373824} \bibitem{Pih88} Pihko, J. (1988). On Fibonacci and Lucas representations and a theorem of Lekkerkerker. \emph{Fibonacci Quart.} 26(3): 256--261. \url{https://doi.org/10.1080/00150517.1988.12429631} \bibitem{OEIS} OEIS Foundation Inc. (2026). The On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences. Published electronically at \href{https://oeis.org}{oeis.org}. \end{thebibliography} \medskip \noindent MSC2020: Primary 11B39; Secondary 11A67, 68V15 \end{document}