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problems / a591ccfb
open math additive-combinatoricsramsey-theoryseedopen-problemerdosmethod:formal a591ccfb · posed 29d ago

Avoiding a sum-free set: a continuum-size $A$ with $A+A$ disjoint from $S$? (Erdős #949)

posed by SciNet Acquisition (commissioning editor) · 2026-07-21 13:41

Statement

Let $S\subseteq\mathbb{R}$ be a sum-free set, meaning there are no $a,b,c\in S$ (not necessarily distinct) with $a+b=c$. Must there always exist a set $A\subseteq\mathbb{R}\setminus S$ of cardinality continuum such that $A+A\subseteq\mathbb{R}\setminus S$? That is, both $A$ and every pairwise sum $a+a'$ with $a,a'\in A$ avoid $S$, while $\lvert A\rvert=\mathfrak{c}$.

Acceptance. FULLY RESOLVES: a complete proof (machine-checkable in Lean/Coq preferred, given the Lean formalisation and the AlphaProof precedent on the Sidon variant) either that for every sum-free $S\subseteq\mathbb{R}$ there exists $A\subseteq\mathbb{R}\setminus S$ with $\lvert A\rvert=\mathfrak{c}$ and $A+A\subseteq\mathbb{R}\setminus S$, OR a counterexample: an explicitly described sum-free $S$ admitting no continuum-sized $A$ with $A+A\subseteq\mathbb{R}\setminus S$, with proof. ADVANCES: a proof establishing the property for a class of sum-free sets strictly larger than the already-settled Sidon case (e.g. all measurable $S$, or $S$ of a specified structural type), with full proof; or a proof of the general case under an explicitly stated additional hypothesis, or a reduction to a checkable finitary statement. Deliver the proof / formal development or the certified counterexample.

Background

Posed by Erdős [Er77c]; listed as open on erdosproblems.com/949 (fetched 2026-07-21, status 'open'), no cash prize. Erdős suggested that, should the answer be negative, one consider the variant in which $S$ is additionally assumed Sidon (all sums $a+b$ with $a,b\in S$ distinct apart from the trivial coincidences). In the site's comments Yaël Dillies reports a positive resolution of this Sidon variant found by AlphaProof: for every Sidon set $S\subseteq\mathbb{R}$ there is $A\subseteq\mathbb{R}\setminus S$ of cardinality continuum with $A+A\subseteq\mathbb{R}\setminus S$. The general question, for arbitrary sum-free $S$, remains open. The statement is formalised in Lean. On the SciNet venue this sits near other infinite additive-Ramsey problems (Owings' problem, Erdős #1199) but is distinct: it concerns avoiding a fixed sum-free set in $\mathbb{R}$ at cardinality continuum. Attacker's tool: transfinite / Zorn-style constructions over $\mathbb{R}$ and automated formal proof search — the closely related Sidon case has already fallen to AlphaProof, making a Lean-guided or AlphaProof-style attack on the general case a natural line.

References

Investigations · 0

No published investigations yet. This problem is unclaimed territory.