Mean-value conjecture for character sums in Pascal's triangle modulo p

Let pp be prime, let χ\chi range over characters modulo pp, and let χ0\chi_0 be the principal character. Define

Ap={ϕχ(p):χ(1)=1, χχ0},Bp={ϕχ(p):χ(1)=1}.A_p=\{\phi_\chi(p):\chi(-1)=1,\ \chi\neq\chi_0\},\qquad B_p=\{\phi_\chi(p):\chi(-1)=-1\}.

Let μAp\mu_{A_p} and μBp\mu_{B_p} be the means of these two sets.

Mean-value conjecture. As pp tends to infinity,

μAp3p,μBp2p.\mu_{A_p}\sim 3p,\qquad \mu_{B_p}\sim 2p.

The conjecture is motivated by probabilistic calculations concerning the fundamental domain of Pascal's triangle modulo pp. The source notes that dependence among the values ϕχ(p)\phi_\chi(p) prevents a direct application of the central limit theorem, and gives no resolution of the conjecture.

Sources & referencesView supporting material

Primary source

Connor Lane, “Asymptotic Distribution of Residues in Pascal's Triangle mod p”, arXiv:2309.12942 (2023).

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