Near-square classification conjecture for binary recurrence sequences

Let aa and b1b_{1} be relatively prime positive integers and put b=b12b=-b_{1}^{2}. Define the binary recurrence sequence by u0(a,b)=0u_{0}(a,b)=0, u1(a,b)=1u_{1}(a,b)=1, and un+2(a,b)=aun+1(a,b)+bun(a,b)u_{n+2}(a,b)=a u_{n+1}(a,b)+b u_{n}(a,b). Let S={x2:xZ}\mathrm{S}=\{x^{2}:x\in\mathbb{Z}\} and cS={cx:xS}c\mathrm{S}=\{cx:x\in\mathrm{S}\}. Near-square classification conjecture. For n>8n>8 and c=1|c|=1 or c|c| prime, one has un(a,b)cSu_{n}(a,b)\in c\mathrm{S} if and only if (n,a,b,c)=(11,4,25,3719)(n,a,b,c)=(11,4,-25,3719) or (13,3,4,181)(13,3,-4,181). This conjecture seeks a uniform classification of terms in binary recurrence sequences that are a square or a prime multiple of a square; the stated exceptional quadruples are the only cases asserted by the conjecture.

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Primary source

Nikos Tzanakis and Paul Voutier, “Near-squares in binary recurrence sequences”, arXiv:2106.04523 (2024).

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