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I have this problem in my textbook. I spent many days to come up with the solution. While I'm quite sure about the first part of my proof, I'm unable to verify the second part (which is related to the REARRANGEMENT of the sequence and is the most important). Some users have left comments and I responded to every of these comments, but they seem to stop interact with me.

Any $n\in\mathbb N$ can be written as the sum of a strictly increasing sequence of Fibonacci numbers.


My attempt:

Let $(f_n\mid n\in\mathbb N^*)$ be the Fibonacci sequence such that $f_1=1,f_2=2,$ and $f_{n+2}=f_{n+1}+f_n$.

Assume the contrary, then set $T$ consisting of positive integers that can NOT be expressed as the sum of a strictly increasing sequence of Fibonacci numbers is non-empty.

Let $m_0=\min T$, then $m_0=m+2$ for some $m$. As a result, $m,m+1\notin T$ and therefore can be expressed as the sum of a strictly increasing sequence of Fibonacci numbers.

We define: $E_n$ is an F-expression of $n\iff\begin{cases} \ t\in E_n\implies t\text{ is a Fibonacci number} \\ \sum_{t\in E_n}t=n \\ \end{cases}$

It' clear that $k\notin T\implies$ there exists an F-expression of $k$.

Since $m\notin T$, then there exists an F-expression of $m$ and, for any $E_m$, $2\in E_m$ (If not, $\{2\}\cup E_m$ will be an F-expression of $m+2$, and consequently $m+2\notin F$, which is a contradiction). Similarly, $1\in E_{m+1}$, then $E_{m+1}\setminus\{1\}$ is an F-expression of $m$, then $2\in E_{m+1}\setminus\{1\}$, then $2\in E_{m+1}$. Hence $1,2\in E_{m+1}$ for any $E_{m+1}$.

Let $m_1=\min\{n\in\mathbb N\mid f_{n+1}\notin E_{m+1}\}$, then $(n\leq m_1\implies f_n\in E_{m+1})$ and $f_{m_1+1}\notin E_{m+1}$. We have two cases in total:

I'm not sure about the correctness of the below part. Please help me check it out.

  1. $m_1=2k$

As a result, $m+1=f_1+f_2+...+f_{m_1}+...=(f_1+f_2)+(f_3+f_4)+...+(f_{2k-1}+f_{2k})+...=f_3+f_5+...+f_{2k+1}+...=f_3+f_5+...+f_{m_1+1}+...$

Thus $m+2=1+(f_3+f_5+...+f_{m_1+1}+...)=f_1+f_3+f_5+...+f_{m_1+1}+...$, then $m+2$ can be expressed as the sum of a strictly increasing sequence of Fibonacci numbers, and consequently $m+2\notin T$, which is a contradiction.

  1. $m_1=2k+1$

As a result, $m+1=f_1+f_2+...+f_{m_1}+...=f_1+f_2+...+f_{2k}+f_{2k+1}+...=f_1+(f_2+f_3)+...+(f_{2k}+f_{2k+1})+...=f_1+f_4+...+f_{2k+2}+...\implies m=f_4+...+f_{2k+2}+...$ $\implies m+2=2+f_4+...+f_{2k+2}+...=f_2+f_4+...+f_{2k+2}+...$ Then $m+2$ can be expressed as the sum of a strictly increasing sequence of Fibonacci numbers, and consequently $m+2\notin T$, which is a contradiction.

Thus $T=\emptyset$. This completes the proof.

Akira
  • 18,439
  • Are there one or more typos in the following? Let m1=min{n∈N∣fn∈Em+1∧fn+1∉Em+1}, then (n≤m⟹fn∈Em+1) and fm1+1∉Em+1. – Steve B Aug 10 '18 at 06:24
  • Thank you @SteveB, there is actually a typo. It should be $n\leq m_1\implies f_n\in E_{m+1}$ rather than $n\leq m\implies f_n\in E_{m+1}$. – Akira Aug 10 '18 at 06:31
  • How does n < $m_1$ imply that $f_n\in E_{m+1})$?
  • $m+1=f_1+f_2+...+f_{m_1}+...$? Surely m+1 is not the sum of an infinite series of Fibonacci numbers.
  • – Steve B Aug 10 '18 at 06:46
  • Simpler proof: consider the Fibonacci numbers $1,2,3,5,\ldots$ (that is, leave out the initial $0,1$). Suppose $f_k\le n<f_{k+1}$. Since $f_{k+1}\le2f_k$ we have $n=(n-f_k)+f_k$ with $n-f_k<f_k$. If $n-f_k=0$ we are finished, otherwise by induction we may assume $n-f_k$ is a sum of increasing Fibonacci numbers. – David Aug 10 '18 at 06:53
  • @SteveB For 1: In order to have that property, I have changed $m_1=\min{n\in\mathbb N\mid f_{n+1}\notin E_{m+1}}$. For 2: since $(n\leq m_1\implies f_n\in E_{m+1})$, then ${f_n\mid 1\leq n\leq m_1}\subseteq E_{m+1}$, and consequently $m+1=f_1+f_2+...+f_{m_1}+...$ – Akira Aug 10 '18 at 09:00
  • Hi @David as always, your solution is elegant and succinct. Since it takes me many days to formulate my original proof, I extremely like to know whether it is correct or not. Could you please check my original proof? Many thanks for your help! – Akira Aug 10 '18 at 13:20
  • @SteveB I have addressed your concern, could you please have a look at it? – Akira Aug 13 '18 at 14:34
  • The second part if your proof is nearly ok. The only problem is that in the case $m_1=2k$ you replace $f_{2k+1}$ by $f_{m_1}$. It should be $f_{m_1+1}$, then the proof is ok. – san Aug 14 '18 at 19:00
  • Thank you so much @san ! You save my day :) – Akira Aug 14 '18 at 23:30
  • Hi @san I have asked a question at https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/2910530/let-a-is-an-infinite-subset-of-bbb-n-then-there-exists-a-bijection-from-a for several days, but have not received any answer. Could you please help me check it out? – Akira Sep 11 '18 at 23:56