RESEARCH / Focused target
oeis a378258 hanna square root parity
RELEASED FOUNDATIONS / PROPOSED CONNECTION
Research connections
All source anchors (1)
- D5/S1/Recurrence/Invariants/HannaA378258SquareRootParity.resultAbsent from this graph
Problem
The question
Paul D. Hanna's OEIS A378258 Name states: "G.f. satisfies A(x) = B(x) + 5*A(x)^2 where B(A(x) - A(x)^2) = x." Its Comments state: "Conjecture: a(n) is odd iff n is a power of 2."
The normalized rational series has constant coefficient zero and linear coefficient one, with offset one. The binding statement of #18825 asserts existence, integrality and dyadic parity for every normalized solution and every $n\ge1$.
Statement echo
| Source clause | Lean counterpart | Fidelity |
| --- | --- | --- |
| $A=B+5A^2$ | IsGF existentially quantifies the rational series $B$ and includes this equality | Literal source equation. |
| $B(A-A^2)=x$ | IsGF includes PowerSeries.subst (A - A ^ 2) B = X | The inner series is the first argument of substitution. |
| Offset one and $a(1)=1$ | IsGF requires constant coefficient zero and linear coefficient one | Source normalization. |
| A generating function exists | The first conjunct of claim is existence of an IsGF solution | Prevents vacuity. |
| Integer sequence and parity conjecture | claim provides an integer representative of each coefficient, with oddness equivalent to $n=2^k$ for some natural $k$ | Every natural degree at least one; no finite cutoff. |
| Every normalized solution | Universal quantification over rational $A$ satisfying IsGF | Uniqueness identifies all such solutions; no extra assumption. |
Motivation
Our foothold
The parity assertion depends on an integral construction of the generating function. The compositional square of the auxiliary series equals $5X-4K$, where $K=X+K^2$ is the normalized Catalan series. An integral square root congruent to $X$ modulo two transfers the Catalan coefficient support to the source solution.
Gap
Missing bridges
The literature screen in #18825 found the entry's formula (6), $B\circ B=5X-4K$, without the integral square-root argument. No proof was found in the entry, its revisions, the Catalan cross-references or the formal-conjecture catalogues named in that issue. Literature completeness and continued external open status are ASSUMED-UNVERIFIED. This is settlement of an explicitly published named conjecture; no originality of the lifting method is asserted.
Route
Proposed approach
For $H\in X^2\mathbb Z[[X]]$, correct successive coefficients of a series beginning with $X$. If its displacement from $X$ is even, its compositional residual is divisible by four. Dividing the next residual coefficient by two therefore gives an even correction. The triangular substitution identity cancels that residual coefficient while preserving every preceding coefficient. Compatible approximants define an integral series $S$ with $S\circ S=X+4H$ and $S\equiv X\pmod2$.
Take $H=X-K$ and write $J$ for the compositional inverse of $S$. Set $A=K\circ J$. The Catalan equation implies $A-A^2=J$ and $A-5A^2=S$, establishing both source equations. For any normalized rational solution, the auxiliary series has the same compositional square as $S$. HannaHalfIterateCubicModThree.half_unique identifies these roots, and hence the solution. Reduction modulo two gives $\overline A=\overline K$; CatalanCompositionSquareParity.binary_catalan supplies the dyadic support.
The consumed coefficient owners are CompositionalSquareDyadicDenominators.agree_subst, composition_top, C_dvd_iff_coeff, residual_four and coeff_subst_sum. Mathlib supplies formal substitution, coefficient maps and compositional inverse identities.
Falsifier
What would falsify this route
A normalized source solution with a nonintegral coefficient or with parity different from the dyadic support would contradict result. Degree zero is outside the source offset. The conclusion is universal in degree, rather than an inference from a finite coefficient test.
Evidence
Evidence to collect
D5.S1.Recurrence.Invariants.HannaA378258SquareRootParity.result proves the exact public claim. The admission basis is open-problem-resolution (#18825; Proved) and there is no anchor atom. The axiom closure of every public declaration is contained in ${\mathrm{propext},\mathrm{Classical.choice},\mathrm{Quot.sound}}$.
The four-slot escape audit is unfinished under #19870. The targets are HannaA378258SquareRootParity.result, HannaHalfIterateCubicModThree.half_unique and CompositionalSquareDyadicDenominators.coeff_subst_sum. No Reg mirror is delivered: complete source reconstruction, an enrolled readout, actual-positive law, variation, sensitivity and observational-dependence evidence remain missing. No declared_validated status is asserted.
Experiment
Published checker and data.
Command: python3 check.py, run in that directory; exit 0, RESULT PASS. The script SHA-256 is ec87bb1637d6a946d4e5fb43f078bc623ce327257ef53b9305c05c564ca154b5.
For A378258 the first twelve terms match the entry, all tested coefficients are integral, and the parity assertion holds for $1\le n\le40$. This is finite experimental evidence; result supplies the unbounded conclusion.
Triage
Scope assessment
| Item | Status | Evidence kind and scope |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The normalized source system has an integral solution with the stated parity | Proved | Kernel-checked HannaA378258SquareRootParity.result, every $n\ge1$. |
| Every integral target $X+4H$ with $X^2\mid H$ has a normalized integral compositional square root congruent to $X$ modulo two | Proved | Kernel-checked private IntegralSquareRoot.root_spec, consumed by square_root_spec. |
| Replacing five by $1+4t$, for integral $t$, leads to the target $X+4t(X-K)$ and a candidate general parity family | Open candidate | Algebraic route below; no parameter-family Lean settlement is delivered. |
| The separate conjecture excluding residues one and five modulo six for $n>1$ | Separate Lean implementation awaiting independent review | Modulo-six dossier; outside this parity claim. |
| The assertion concerning the first negative term | Open | Outside claim; no sign theorem is delivered. |
| Twelve source terms, integrality and dyadic parity through degree forty | Computed | The pinned experiment and exact tested scope above. |
| Source formula (6) and source consequences | Proved in prose as an identity; parity kernel-checked | The derivation below connects the formula to the integral construction. No further source theorem depending on the conjecture is identified by #18825. |
| Literature status | Literature reading; completeness ASSUMED-UNVERIFIED | The screen recorded in #18825. |
| Escape registration | Open | #19870 and the missing evidence above. |
What the settlement shows
Proved, kernel-checked. IntegralSquareRoot.root_spec establishes the general integral lifting mechanism for every $H$ of order at least two. The even corrections and stable coefficients, rather than finite numerical agreement, produce the integral square root. The private solution_unique identifies every normalized rational source solution, and result proves integrality and dyadic parity.
Proved in prose. The Catalan identity $K-K^2=X$ gives $K-5K^2=5X-4K$. Composing $A-5A^2=B$ with $B$ and using $A\circ B=K$ therefore yields the source formula $B\circ B=5X-4K$. The integral square-root construction supplies the integrality step this identity alone does not establish.
Open candidate. With $c=1+4t$, the same algebra gives $K-cK^2=X+4t(X-K)$. Since $X^2\mid X-K$, the integral lifting mechanism applies to this target. This identifies a candidate route to a parameter-family parity theorem; its full source-system correspondence and Lean settlement are not additional conclusions of result.
The source's separate modulo-six exclusion has a separate Lean implementation awaiting independent review. The first negative term remains open. These are distinct from the parity claim. The quoted parity conjecture becomes a theorem under the stated normalization; no additional source dependency is asserted.
ASSUMED-UNVERIFIED
Unverified assumptions
The external literature screen is incomplete. The statement's identification with the OEIS entry uses the quoted source and normalization in #18825. The four-slot audit remains unfinished under #19870. The parameter-family settlement, modulo-six assertion and first-negative-term assertion remain outside the proved public claim.