Counting States of Degeneracy in 3-D Particles in a Box

  • Level: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Sturk200
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Counting Degeneracy
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
1 reply · 2K views
Sturk200
Messages
168
Reaction score
17
So I'm trying to figure out the best way to count the degeneracy of states for a 3-d particle in a box. The problem breaks into the following: we have three integers greater than or equal to unity whose values are allowed to vary independently, and the sum of whose squares equals a fourth integer.

a2 + b2 + c2 = x

It is required to find the allowed values of the fourth integer x, and the number of combinations of the first three integers (a, b, and c) able to produce each allowed fourth integer.

At present the only method of solution I am aware of is just listing out the possibilities and counting by brute force, but I know there must be a better way. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Sturk200 said:
So I'm trying to figure out the best way to count the degeneracy of states for a 3-d particle in a box. The problem breaks into the following: we have three integers greater than or equal to unity whose values are allowed to vary independently, and the sum of whose squares equals a fourth integer.

a2 + b2 + c2 = x

It is required to find the allowed values of the fourth integer x, and the number of combinations of the first three integers (a, b, and c) able to produce each allowed fourth integer.

At present the only method of solution I am aware of is just listing out the possibilities and counting by brute force, but I know there must be a better way. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

https://www.oeis.org/A025427