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Problem #334: Find the best function $f(n)$ such that every $n$ can be...

Find the best function $f(n)$ such that every $n$ can be written as $n=a+b$ where both $a,b$ are $f(n)$-smooth (that is, are not divisible by any...

Problem Statement

Find the best function $f(n)$ such that every $n$ can be written as $n=a+b$ where both $a,b$ are $f(n)$-smooth (that is, are not divisible by any prime $p>f(n)$.)
Categories: Number Theory

Progress

Erdős originally asked if even $f(n)\leq n^{1/3}$ is true. This is known, and the best bound is due to Balog [Ba89] who proved that\[f(n) \ll_\epsilon n^{\frac{4}{9\sqrt{e}}+\epsilon}\]for all $\epsilon>0$. (Note $\frac{4}{9\sqrt{e}}=0.2695\ldots$.)

It is likely that $f(n)\leq n^{o(1)}$, or even $f(n)\leq e^{O(\sqrt{\log n})}$.

See also Problem 59 on Green's open problems list.

Source: erdosproblems.com/334 | Last verified: January 14, 2026

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