5
$\begingroup$

Let $f(x,y) = ax^2 + 2bxy + cy^2 \in \mathbb{Z}[x,y]$ be a positive definite binary quadratic form with even discriminant. We say that $f$ is primitive if $\gcd(a,2b,c) = 1$ and it is reduced if $0 < a < c$ and $|2b| \leq a$. Can we count, on average, those $f$ satisfying the above conditions and the condition that $\gcd(b,c) = 1$?

If we do not impose that $\gcd(b,c) = 1$, then the average count was done by Siegel. In particular he proved that

$$\displaystyle \sum_{N \leq x} h_{-4N} \sim \frac{4\pi}{21 \zeta(3)} x^{3/2}, $$

where $h_{-4N}$ is the number of reduced and primitive positive definite binary quadratic forms with discriminant $-4N$.

To more precisely formulate my question, put $h_{-4N}^\ast$ to be the number of reduced, primitive, and positive definite binary quadratic forms $f(x,y) = ax^2 + 2bxy + cy^2$ such that $N = ac - b^2$ and $\gcd(b,c) = 1$. Then can one give an asymptotic estimate for the quantity

$$\displaystyle \sum_{N \leq x} h_{-4N}^\ast?$$

$\endgroup$
3
  • $\begingroup$ I'm curious what motivates the side condition $\gcd(b,c)=1$? $\endgroup$ Commented May 25, 2016 at 16:08
  • $\begingroup$ This is for a project where I am attempting to count certain binary quartic forms which are sorted by reduced, primitive, and positive definite binary quadratic forms. This sorting allows one to count $\text{GL}_2(\mathbb{Z})$-equivalence classes of such quartic forms nicely, but not the $\text{PGL}_2(\mathbb{Q})$-orbits. One of the difficulties that arise is when the associated quadratic form has $\gcd(b,c) > 1$. $\endgroup$ Commented May 25, 2016 at 16:16
  • $\begingroup$ I believe I know the right answer; one simply needs to change the factor $1/\zeta(3)$ coming from requiring $\gcd(a,2b,c) = 1$ to $1/\zeta(2)$ which only requires $\gcd(b,c) = 1$. I am not sure how hard it is to prove this though $\endgroup$ Commented May 25, 2016 at 16:43

1 Answer 1

1
$\begingroup$

Not an answer, but long for a comment. Siegel's theorem referenced above does not see the individual forms, it instead uses the Dirichlet class number formula for $L(1,\chi)$ and estimates the asymptotics of the sum.

If I were trying to prove the desired result, I'd first want a version of the proof that estimated the asymptotics of the residue of the sum over Epstein zeta functions, in order to see the individual forms. To pick out those with $\gcd(b,c)=1$, I would write this condition as $$ \sum_{d|\gcd(b,c)}\mu(d), $$ and then try to change the order of summation

$\endgroup$

You must log in to answer this question.

Start asking to get answers

Find the answer to your question by asking.

Ask question

Explore related questions

See similar questions with these tags.