[math-fun] Tough sequence.
Conjecturally, the last element of A020495 (a(21) = 21679) is the largest number which is neither a square nor square + prime. Likewise, the last element of A045911 (a(6195) = 78526384) is the conjectured largest number which is neither a (positive) cube or a cube + prime. In each case, the sequence is statistically finite, and a large range has been searched for additional elements, so there is a reasonable argument that these sequences are finite and correct. This, of course, suggests a sequence starting 21697, 78526384, ... The next element would the largest value which is neither a fourth power nor a fourth power + prime. This number will be very large. Looks like a real programming challenge.
David Wilson: "The next element would the largest value which is neither a fourth power nor a fourth power + prime. This number will be very large. Looks like a real programming challenge." According to Alessandro Zaccagnini (via John Robertson, 1999), most squares will not be a sum of a 4th power and a prime. See the last paragraph here: http://mathforum.org/kb/message.jspa?messageID=1676582
participants (2)
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David Wilson -
Hans Havermann