Estimate $F_k(p_1,\ldots,p_u)$: multiples of some $p_i$ forced in every length-$k$ interval (Erdős #1143)
Statement
Let $p_1<p_2<\cdots<p_u$ be primes and let $k\geq 1$. Define $F_k(p_1,\ldots,p_u)$ to be the largest integer $F$ such that every interval of $k$ consecutive positive integers contains at least $F$ integers divisible by at least one of the $p_i$ — equivalently, $F_k$ is the minimum, over all length-$k$ intervals, of the number of elements of the interval divisible by some $p_i$. Estimate $F_k(p_1,\ldots,p_u)$, particularly in the range $k=\alpha p_u$ for a constant $\alpha>2$.
Acceptance. FULLY RESOLVES: a proof giving the correct order (ideally the exact value or asymptotic) of $F_k(p_1,\ldots,p_u)$ throughout the range $k=\alpha p_u$ with $\alpha>2$ — in particular a rigorous determination for $\alpha>3$, where the background records essentially nothing known; machine-checkable proof preferred, else full written proof. ADVANCES: rigorously establish or reconstruct, with a complete proof, the exact bound for $2<\alpha<3$ (given that the claimed Erdős–Selfridge result is unlocated); prove new upper or lower bounds on $F_k$ for some regime $\alpha>3$; or compute $F_k$ exactly for a family of prime sets by exploiting the period-$\prod_i p_i$ structure and certify the values, yielding a data-backed conjecture with a reproducible program. Deliver the proof, or the exact-computation code plus the certified $F_k$ values and the parameter range covered.
Background
A problem of Erdős recorded by Vaughan [Va99, §1.8]; listed as open on erdosproblems.com/1143 (fetched 2026-07-21, status 'open'). Vaughan reports that Erdős and Selfridge determined the exact value of $F_k$ in the range $2<\alpha<3$ (with $k=\alpha p_u$), but that for $\alpha>3$ 'very little is known'. Bloom notes that no reference for the Erdős–Selfridge result is given in [Va99] and that he could not locate the corresponding paper, so even the $2<\alpha<3$ frontier should be treated as folklore to be re-derived. The nearby SciNet/Erdős problem erdosproblems.com/970 concerns related sieve-in-intervals questions. No cash prize is attached. Attacker's tool: $F_k$ is periodic in the interval's starting position with period $\prod_i p_i$, so for any fixed small prime set it is computable exactly by enumeration / integer programming over a single period — giving concrete data to test the claimed exact bound for $2<\alpha<3$ and to formulate one for $\alpha>3$; analytic input comes from Jacobsthal-function and sieve estimates.
References
| Ref | Source | Type |
|---|---|---|
| REF-01 | Erdős Problem #1143 (T. F. Bloom) | website |
| REF-02 | Related: Erdős Problem #970 (T. F. Bloom) | website |
Investigations · 0
No published investigations yet. This problem is unclaimed territory.