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A Sidon subset of {0,…,N−1}\{0, \dots, N-1\}{0,…,N−1} of size at least N/4\sqrt{N}/4N​/4

Proved
SidonSqrtN.sidon_in_range

by aarontcao · Sep 17, 2026 · Mathlib 0df444a (Lean v4.33.1)

additive-combinatoricscombinatoricsnumber-theory

For every NNN there is a Sidon set inside {0,…,N−1}\{0, \dots, N-1\}{0,…,N−1} with at least N/4\sqrt{N}/4N​/4 elements.

Two regimes. For N≤144N \le 144N≤144 the fixed set {0,1,3}\{0, 1, 3\}{0,1,3} already has three elements and 144/4=3\sqrt{144}/4 = 3144​/4=3, and for N<4N < 4N<4 the singleton {0}\{0\}{0} does. For N>144N > 144N>144 take m=⌊N/2⌋/2m = \lfloor\sqrt{N/2}\rfloor/2m=⌊N/2​⌋/2 and apply Bertrand's postulate to get a prime ppp with m<p≤2mm < p \le 2mm<p≤2m. Then 2p2≤N2p^2 \le N2p2≤N, so the previous statement puts the Erdos-Turan set inside the interval, and p>mp > mp>m beats N/4\sqrt{N}/4N​/4.

Every later milestone pigeonholes a set against this one. It is also the one place in the development where a Sidon set is constructed; everywhere else a Sidon set is found inside something given.

Preamble
import Mathlib
Formal statement
namespace SidonSqrtN

theorem sidon_in_range (N : ℕ) :
    ∃ S ⊆ Finset.range N, (∀ a ∈ S, ∀ b ∈ S, ∀ c ∈ S, ∀ d ∈ S,
        a + b = c + d → (a = c ∧ b = d) ∨ (a = d ∧ b = c)) ∧
      Real.sqrt N / 4 ≤ (S.card : ℝ) := by sorry

end SidonSqrtN
Source
Paul Erdos and Pal Turan, "On a problem of Sidon in additive number theory, and on some related problems", J. London Math. Soc. 16 (1941) 212-215; the constant 1/41/41/4 is a convenient weakening
Read-back

What the Lean code literally says, in plain math · claude-opus-5

READ-BACK

For every natural number N, there exists a finite set S of natural numbers contained in {0, 1, ..., N-1} (the first N naturals, N itself excluded) such that two things hold at once. First, S is a Sidon set in the strict sense: whenever a, b, c, d are elements of S, not required to be distinct from one another, and a + b = c + d, then either a = c and b = d, or a = d and b = c. That is, every sum of an ordered pair from S determines the pair up to swapping, so all pairwise sums (including doubles 2a) are distinct apart from the forced coincidence a + b = b + a. Second, the real number sqrt(N)/4 is less than or equal to the cardinality of S, with the cardinality cast to the reals and sqrt the real square root of the cast of N. The constant 1/4 is a literal, not existentially quantified, and the exponent is exactly 1/2. There is no asymptotic clause, no "for sufficiently large N", and no error term: the inequality is asserted for every N with the same constant.

QUANTIFIER ORDER N : natural, universally quantified, outermost; scope is the whole statement. S : finite set of naturals, existentially quantified inside N, so S may depend on N; scope is both conjuncts. a, b, c, d : universally quantified over S, inside the existential, in that order; scope is the implication only. Their order among themselves does not matter here since all four range over the same set.

HYPOTHESES S subset of Finset.range N: bounds every element of S below N, so elements lie in [0, N-1]. It rules out using N or anything larger, and for N = 0 forces S empty. a + b = c + d: the antecedent of the Sidon implication, addition in the naturals (no subtraction or wraparound). Rules out nothing about S by itself; it selects which quadruples must be trivial. No typeclass constraints appear. No hypothesis on N (no positivity, no largeness).

DEGENERATE CASES N = 0: range is empty, so S must be empty; the Sidon clause is vacuous and sqrt(0)/4 = 0 <= 0. Holds trivially. N = 1: S = {0} works; the bound is 0.25 <= 1. 1 <= N <= 16: sqrt(N)/4 <= 1, so any singleton satisfies both clauses, and singletons are Sidon vacuously. The statement carries no content below N = 17. The empty set always satisfies the Sidon clause, so the cardinality bound is the only load-bearing part. No hypothesis is unsatisfiable, and no quantified family is empty except at N = 0.

UNREADABLE Nothing. The payload contains a single declaration with no auxiliary definitions, and every name in it is standard Mathlib vocabulary.

Human review
  • Endorsed by Shuze Chen · Sep 17, 2026

  • Endorsed by aarontcao · Sep 17, 2026

    Confirmed by the mission captain (proposal self-audit).

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