Proving a sharp maximum identity for some relatively prime odd integers

calculusknot-invariantsknot-theorynumber theoryproof-writing

Let $p, q$ and $r$ be relatively prime odd positive integers satisfying $$pq + pr – qr = 1$$ and $$1<p<q<r.$$

Define $$f(a,n)= -(q + r)a^2 + 4aqn – 4(q – p)n^2 – 4n$$ where $-p \leq a \leq p+2$ and $1 \leq n \leq r-1$.

Under these conditions, can we prove that

$$\mathrm max \{ f(a,n) \} =f(1,1)$$

Or can one produce a counterexample?

For example, I proved the above idendity for triplets $$(p,q,r)=(2k+1,4k+1,4k+3)$$ and $$(p,q,r)=(4k+3,6k+5,12k+7)$$ by showing $$-f(a,n) + f(1,1) \geq 0$$ with the help of basic number theoretic arguments.

Any contribution (proof suggestion or a counterexample) will make me extremely happy…

EDIT

The above numbers have meaning in topology. For example, consider Pretzel knots $K(-p,q,r)$ where $p, q$ and $r$ are relatively prime odd positive integers satisfying $$pq + pr – qr = 1.$$

Then the Alexander polynomial associated to these knots is $1$, i.e,. $$\Delta_K(K(-p,q,r))=1,$$ see pg. 66, Example 6.9, W. B. Raymond Lickorish – An Introduction to Knot Theory.

Following Freedman's excellent paper, one can conclude that $K(-p,q,r)$ are topologically slice.

Best Answer

demanding $n \geq 1$ cuts out a few counterexamples...

   WOW     p 7     q  9     r  31  a  0   n  1    1_1: -16  f  -12
   WOW     p 7     q  9     r  31  a  1   n  2    1_1: -16  f  -8
   WOW     p 9     q  11     r  49  a  0   n  1    1_1: -28  f  -12
   WOW     p 9     q  11     r  49  a  1   n  2    1_1: -28  f  -12
   WOW     p 9     q  11     r  49  a  1   n  3    1_1: -28  f  -12
   WOW     p 9     q  11     r  49  a  2   n  5    1_1: -28  f  -20
   WOW     p 9     q  11     r  49  a  2   n  6    1_1: -28  f  -24
   WOW     p 11     q  13     r  71  a  0   n  1    1_1: -44  f  -12
   WOW     p 11     q  13     r  71  a  0   n  2    1_1: -44  f  -40
   WOW     p 11     q  13     r  71  a  1   n  2    1_1: -44  f  -20
   WOW     p 11     q  13     r  71  a  1   n  3    1_1: -44  f  -12
   WOW     p 11     q  13     r  71  a  1   n  4    1_1: -44  f  -20
   WOW     p 11     q  13     r  71  a  2   n  5    1_1: -44  f  -36
   WOW     p 11     q  13     r  71  a  2   n  6    1_1: -44  f  -24
   WOW     p 11     q  13     r  71  a  2   n  7    1_1: -44  f  -28
   WOW     p 11     q  13     r  71  a  3   n  9    1_1: -44  f  -36
   WOW     p 11     q  13     r  71  a  3   n  10    1_1: -44  f  -36
   WOW     p 11     q  15     r  41  a  1   n  2    1_1: -16  f  -8
   WOW     p 13     q  15     r  97  a  0   n  1    1_1: -64  f  -12
   WOW     p 13     q  15     r  97  a  0   n  2    1_1: -64  f  -40
   WOW     p 13     q  15     r  97  a  1   n  2    1_1: -64  f  -32
   WOW     p 13     q  15     r  97  a  1   n  3    1_1: -64  f  -16
   WOW     p 13     q  15     r  97  a  1   n  4    1_1: -64  f  -16
   WOW     p 13     q  15     r  97  a  1   n  5    1_1: -64  f  -32
   WOW     p 13     q  15     r  97  a  2   n  6    1_1: -64  f  -40
   WOW     p 13     q  15     r  97  a  2   n  7    1_1: -64  f  -28
   WOW     p 13     q  15     r  97  a  2   n  8    1_1: -64  f  -32
   WOW     p 13     q  15     r  97  a  2   n  9    1_1: -64  f  -52
   WOW     p 13     q  15     r  97  a  3   n  10    1_1: -64  f  -48
   WOW     p 13     q  15     r  97  a  3   n  11    1_1: -64  f  -40
   WOW     p 13     q  15     r  97  a  3   n  12    1_1: -64  f  -48
   WOW     p 13     q  15     r  97  a  4   n  14    1_1: -64  f  -56
jagy@phobeusjunior:~$ 
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