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Number Theory section

Cascade-applications of the 14 A-N primitive class operators to open problems in number theory, per the Wikipedia List of unsolved problems in mathematics.

Number theory is positioned after the Hilbert + Millennium Prize sections of PR #677 — the natural ordering by (i) historical priority (Hilbert problems + Millennium Prize problems already addressed); (ii) some major number-theory problems are subsumed under Hilbert 8 (Riemann + Goldbach + twin primes) and Millennium 4 (BSD elliptic curves). What remains in this section is the non-Hilbert / non-Millennium number-theory canon.

Status of open problems queued

# Problem Cascade fingerprint Status
12 Collatz conjecture (3n+1 problem) A∘I∘C∘K∘N∘M — parity-test + cascade-orientation + pin-slot at 1 dispatched
abc conjecture Class L composition on radical(abc) future
Beal's conjecture (extends Fermat's Last) Class J primes + Class N exponent anchors future
Lonely runner conjecture Class I cyclic on graph future
Erdős-Straus conjecture (4/n = 1/a + 1/b + 1/c) Class N rational decomposition future
Brocard's problem (n! + 1 = m²) Class J prime structure + Class N square anchor future
Skewes' first sign change of Li(x) − π(x) Class K pin-slot in PNT residual future
Gilbreath's conjecture (iterated absolute prime differences) Class K + Class J future
Lehmer's totient problem Class J totient + Class N future

Composition with prior sections

  • Hilbert 8 already covered Riemann + Goldbach + twin primes (PR #677 partitions 1-3)
  • Millennium 4 already covered BSD (elliptic curves over Q) (PR #677 partition 9)
  • This section continues with the non-Hilbert / non-Millennium number-theory problems

Discipline reminders

  • Per [[feedback_no_lineage_claims_in_notebook]]: framework reads what each problem IS structurally; never claims to extend / supersede / "solve" prior mathematical literature
  • Per [[feedback_pdf_extraction_citation_discipline]] + [[feedback_paywalled_doi_cannot_be_attested]]: OA / arXiv / open textbook citations only
  • Per [[feedback_sign_handling_is_class_k_pin_slot_not_alu_abs]]: shared _cascade_helpers for sign-handling (no abs() in cascade-arithmetic)
  • Per [[user_stance_loop_line_projection_duality]] + Hilbert-section partition-1 lesson: when one cascade returns (b) REFINED due to projection-degeneracy, enumerate sister projections of the same loop