6533b7d2fe1ef96bd125e055

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Variations on a Theorem of Fine & Wilf

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In 1965, Fine & Wilf proved the following theorem: if (fn)n≥0 and (gn)n≥0 are periodic sequences of real numbers, of periods h and k respectively, and fn = gn for 0 ≤ n ≤ h+k-gcd(h, k), then fn = gn for all n ≥ 0. Furthermore, the constant h + k - gcd(h, k) is best possible. In this paper we consider some variations on this theorem. In particular, we study the case where fn ≤ gn instead of fn = gn. We also obtain a generalization to more than two periods.