Quartic Berkovich–Dhar sign-change conjecture

For every integer n≥1n\ge 1, define Pn(q)=∏j=1n(1−q3j−2)(1−q3j−1)P_n(q)=\prod_{j=1}^{n}(1-q^{3j-2})(1-q^{3j-1}) and cn,m=[q3m+2]Pn(q)4c_{n,m}=[q^{3m+2}]P_n(q)^4 for 0≤m≤4n2−10\le m\le 4n^2-1. After all zero coefficients are omitted, the sequence (cn,m)(c_{n,m}) in increasing order of mm has exactly one sign change, and that change is from positive to negative. The claimed quartic refinement further asserts that, for n≥301n\ge 301, the transition occurs in an interval of length 3000/n23000/n^2 centered at αn2+βn+γ+δ/n\alpha n^2+\beta n+\gamma+\delta/n, where α=0.7490800947885107…\alpha=0.7490800947885107\ldots and α,β,γ,δ\alpha,\beta,\gamma,\delta have explicit analytic definitions.

References

Primary source

arXiv

Additional references

Progress summary

Refreshed
Claimed progress

A single preprint claims to settle the quartic case and locate its sign-change transition sharply, but this result has not been independently verified and higher-power cases remain open.

Berkovich and Dhar formulated sign-pattern conjectures for polynomial families, including the quartic case. The problem asks for the quartic sign assertions, together with sharp asymptotics for where the transition occurs.

October 2026 quartic proof claim

Shutao Jiang's preprint claims a proof of the quartic sign assertions and a four-term asymptotic localization of the transition. The claim is based on a single preprint and has not received independent mathematical verification.

Current status (as of October 2026): The quartic case is claimed solved by Jiang's preprint but remains unverified; cases involving higher powers remain open.

Sources

Solutions 0

No solutions have been posted yet.