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Lander, Parkin, and Selfridge Conjecture

Maintainer — open

The Lander–Parkin–Selfridge conjecture: if the sum of nn positive integer kk-th powers equals the sum of mm positive integer kk-th powers, with all values on the left distinct from all values on the right, then n+mkn + m \geq k. Formally, for positive integers k,n,mNk, n, m \in \mathbb{N} and sequences x:{0,,n1}Nx : \{0, \ldots, n-1\} \to \mathbb{N} and y:{0,,m1}Ny : \{0, \ldots, m-1\} \to \mathbb{N} with xi>0x_i > 0

Motivation

The Lander–Parkin–Selfridge conjecture: if the sum of nn positive integer kk-th powers equals the sum of mm positive integer kk-th powers, with all values on the left distinct from all values on the right, then n+mkn + m \geq k. Formally, for positive integers k,n,mNk, n, m \in \mathbb{N} and sequences x:{0,,n1}Nx : \{0, \ldots, n-1\} \to \mathbb{N} and y:{0,,m1}Ny : \{0, \ldots, m-1\} \to \mathbb{N} with xi>0x_i > 0, yj>0y_j > 0, and xiyjx_i \neq y_j for all i,ji, j, if i=0n1xik=j=0m1yjk,\sum_{i=0}^{n-1} x_i^k = \sum_{j=0}^{m-1} y_j^k, then kn+mk \leq n + m.

Adapted from formal-conjectures, Wikipedia/LanderParkinAndSelfridgeConjecture.lean.

Lean API
import Mathlib.Algebra.BigOperators.Group.Finset.Defs
import Mathlib.Data.Fintype.Basic

namespace Conjectura.WP0022

/-- The Lander–Parkin–Selfridge conjecture: if the sum of $n$ positive integer $k$-th powers equals the sum of $m$ positive integer $k$-th powers, with all values on the left distinct from all values on the right, then $n + m \geq k$. Formally, for positive integers $k, n, m \in \mathbb{N}$ and sequences $x : \{0, \ldots, n-1\} \to \mathbb{N}$ and $y : \{0, \ldots, m-1\} \to \mathbb{N}$ with $x_i > 0$, $y_j > 0$, and $x_i \neq y_j$ for all $i, j$, if $$\sum_{i=0}^{n-1} x_i^k = \sum_{j=0}^{m-1} y_j^k,$$ then $k \leq n + m$. -/
def goal : Prop :=
  ∀ (k n m : ℕ) (x : Fin n → ℕ) (y : Fin m → ℕ),
      (∀ i, 0 < x i) → (∀ j, 0 < y j) →
      (∀ i j, x i ≠ y j) →
      ∑ i, x i ^ k = ∑ j, y j ^ k →
      k ≤ n + m

end Conjectura.WP0022
Definition

This statement is written entirely in arithmetic and standard number systems — there is no specialised vocabulary to define.

Related work1
  • formal-conjecturesThe Formal Conjectures Authors (Google DeepMind) · 2025

    Source of the Lean formalization adapted here.

For your AI
Download as .md
I am proving a theorem in Lean 4 and submitting it to Conjectura.

## Problem WP0022 — Lander, Parkin, and Selfridge Conjecture

The Lander–Parkin–Selfridge conjecture: if the sum of $n$ positive integer $k$-th powers equals the sum of $m$ positive integer $k$-th powers, with all values on the left distinct from all values on the right, then $n + m \geq k$. Formally, for positive integers $k, n, m \in \mathbb{N}$ and sequences $x : \{0, \ldots, n-1\} \to \mathbb{N}$ and $y : \{0, \ldots, m-1\} \to \mathbb{N}$ with $x_i > 0$

## Environment (fixed — do not assume anything newer)

- Lean toolchain: `leanprover/lean4:v4.33.0-rc1`
- Mathlib: `v4.33.0-rc1`

If a lemma you want does not exist in that Mathlib, prove it inline instead of
importing something newer.

## The exact statement I must prove

```lean
theorem solution : Conjectura.WP0022.goal := by
  sorry
```

## The file I submit

```lean
import Conjectura.Problems.WP0022.Statement

namespace Submission

theorem solution : Conjectura.WP0022.goal := by
  sorry

end Submission

```

## The Lean definitions of every term in this problem

These are the actual definitions your proof will be checked against. Do not
substitute your own version of any of them.

(none)

## Rules — submissions violating these are rejected automatically

1. **Do not change the name or type of `solution`.** It must satisfy the
   statement above exactly.
2. **Do not redefine or shadow anything from the problem's Statement module.**
   Declaring your own `goal`, or redefining a name it depends on, produces a
   proof of a *different* statement and is rejected. This is the single most
   common rejection.
3. **No `sorry`** anywhere, including in helper lemmas. It surfaces as the
   axiom `sorryAx` and is detected transitively through imports.
4. **No `native_decide`** — it surfaces as `Lean.ofReduceBool` and is not
   accepted, because it trusts compiled code rather than the kernel.
5. Only these axioms are permitted: `propext`, `Classical.choice`,
   `Quot.sound`.
6. Follow Mathlib style: hypotheses left of the colon, explicit types,
   `snake_case` theorem names, `UpperCamelCase` types.

## What I want from you

Here is my argument in informal mathematics:

> [PASTE YOUR PROOF SKETCH HERE]

Turn it into Lean 4 that compiles under the environment above and satisfies the
statement exactly. Where you are unsure a lemma exists in this Mathlib version,
say so explicitly rather than guessing a name.

Submissions are not open yet

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