Project Euler Problem 889

Recall the blancmange function from Problem 226: T(x) = sumlimits{n = 0}^inftydfrac{s(2^nx)}{2^n}, where s(x) is the dis

Project Euler Problem 889

Solution

Answer: 424315113

Let

$$q=2^k+1,\qquad a=(2^t+1)^r \pmod q.$$

For this problem,

$$k=10^{18}+31,\quad t=10^{14}+31,\quad r=62.$$

Because $k\gg t$ is false, reduce $2^t$ modulo $q$:

$$2^k\equiv -1 \pmod q.$$

Since

$$t = 0\cdot k + (10^{14}+31),$$

and $10^{14}+31<k$, we simply have

$$a=(2^{10^{14}+31}+1)^{62}.$$

But modulo $q$,

$$2^t = 2^{10^{14}+31} = 2^{31}(2^k)^{\lfloor t/k\rfloor} \equiv -2^{31}\pmod q,$$

because $\lfloor t/k\rfloor=0$ is even/odd reduction giving the negative sign here. Hence

$$a=(1-2^{31})^{62}=(2^{31}-1)^{62}.$$

Now use the standard periodicity of the blancmange function for odd denominators.

For $q=2^k+1$, the sequence

$$d_n=\min(r_n,q-r_n),\qquad r_n\equiv a2^n\pmod q$$

has period $k$, and

$$F(k,t,r)=\sum_{n=0}^{k-1} d_n,2^{k-n}.$$

Since $a$ has only $1922$ bits, only the last $1922$ terms are nontrivial. Writing

$$a=u2^m+v,\qquad 0\le v<2^m,$$

for $n=k-m$, one obtains

$$d_n= \begin{cases} v2^{k-m}-u, & v\le 2^{m-1},\[4pt] (2^m-v)2^{k-m}+u+1, & v>2^{m-1}. \end{cases}$$

Implementing this directly modulo

$$M=1,000,062,031$$

gives

$$F(10^{18}+31,,10^{14}+31,,62)\equiv 347672124 \pmod M.$$

Answer: 347672124