Prime factors of a unique form in the each term a sequence?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on a mathematical conjecture from "The Art of the Infinite: The Pleasures of Mathematics," specifically regarding a sequence defined by the formula 3n-1, starting with 2: 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17. The conjecture asserts that each term in this sequence can only have prime factors of the forms 3n-1, 3n, or 3n+1. It further claims that no term can have all prime factors of the forms 3n or 3n+1, and that each term must include at least one prime factor of the form 3n-1. The participants express confusion about how to formally prove these claims.

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musicgold
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This is no homework. I have come across a conjecture in a book called The art of the infinite:the pleasures of mathematics. I want to understand how to prove it.

Homework Statement


Consider a 3-rhythm starting with 2: ## 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17...##
The each number in this sequenc has the form ##3n-1##.

The book says that each of these terms can have prime factors of only the following forms: ## 3n-1,~ 3n,~ 3n+1 ...(1)##
Then it claims that no term could have all factors of the form ##3n ~ or 3n+1, ~ or ~ 3n ~ and ~ 3n+1 ...(2)##

Then it claims that each term in the sequence has to have at least one prime factor of the form ##3n-1 ...(3)##

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


While I get claim (2) but I am not clear about how I can prove claims (1) and (3). I have tried manually testing and the claims are correct, however I want to prove them. How should I go about it?
 
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(1) seems really trivial. All numbers are of the form 3n-1, 3n or 3n+1.
3n isn't possible as prime factor (or any factor) of a number of the form 3n-1. If a number n has a factor that is divisible by 3, n must also be divisible by 3.

I really don't know what (2) means. Factors of the form 3n aren't possible, so it makes no sense to include them here. Is it meant that no number of the form 3n-1 can have only prime factors of the form 3n+1 ? If you can prove that, than (3) would immediately follow.
 
Last edited:
musicgold said:
I am not clear about how I can prove claims ... (3)
It follows directly from (2)
willem2 said:
I really don't know what (2) means.
It is saying that each term must contain a factor which is neither of 3n form nor of 3n+1 form.
 

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