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Reciprocals of a block of consecutive integers never sum to an integer

Proved
Erdos287.block_theorem

by xbgxjack · Sep 11, 2026 · Mathlib 0df444a (Lean v4.33.1)

egyptian-fractionsnumber-theoryp-adicunit-fractions

For every n≥1n \ge 1n≥1 and every k≥2k \ge 2k≥2,

1n+1n+1+⋯+1n+k−1∉Z.\frac{1}{n} + \frac{1}{n+1} + \cdots + \frac{1}{n+k-1} \notin \mathbb{Z}.n1​+n+11​+⋯+n+k−11​∈/Z.

This is Kürschák's theorem, stated in the equivalent form Hn+k−1−Hn−1∉ZH_{n+k-1} - H_{n-1} \notin \mathbb{Z}Hn+k−1​−Hn−1​∈/Z. Mathlib already contains the special case n=1n = 1n=1 (harmonic_not_int, that Hm∉ZH_m \notin \mathbb{Z}Hm​∈/Z for m≥2m \ge 2m≥2); the statement here is the general block version. Erdős' 1932 paper generalises it further, from blocks of consecutive integers to arithmetic progressions.

The result is the substance behind the gap-two bound for Erdős Problem 287: a representation of 111 all of whose consecutive differences equal one has denominators forming exactly such a block.

Formalization note. ¬ ∃ m : ℤ, S = (m : ℚ) is used rather than a predicate such as Rat.isInt, so that the assertion is transparent. Both hypotheses are needed: the sum of a single reciprocal 1/11/11/1 is an integer, and n=0n = 0n=0 would make the first summand undefined as a reciprocal (1/0 = 0 in Lean).

Preamble
import Mathlib
Formal statement
namespace Erdos287
theorem block_theorem (n k : ℕ) (hn : 0 < n) (hk : 2 ≤ k) :
    ¬ ∃ m : ℤ, (∑ i ∈ Finset.range k, (1 : ℚ) / (n + i)) = (m : ℚ) := by sorry
end Erdos287
Source
Kürschák's block theorem; see K. Conrad, The p-adic growth of harmonic sums, Theorem 2, https://kconrad.math.uconn.edu/blurbs/gradnumthy/padicharmonicsum.pdf . Generalised to arithmetic progressions by P. Erdős, Egy Kürschák-féle elemi számelméleti tétel általánosítása, Mat. és Phys. Lapok 39 (1932), 17-24, which is the reference cited for the gap-two bound of Erdős Problem 287, https://www.erdosproblems.com/287.
Human review
  • Endorsed by Shuze Chen · Sep 12, 2026

  • Endorsed by xbgxjack · Sep 12, 2026

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

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