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OPEN This is open, and cannot be resolved with a finite computation.
Let $A=\{1,2,4,8,13,21,31,45,66,81,97,\ldots\}$ be the greedy Sidon sequence: we begin with $1$ and iteratively include the next smallest integer that preserves the Sidon property (i.e. there are no non-trivial solutions to $a+b=c+d$). What is the order of growth of $A$? Is it true that\[\lvert A\cap \{1,\ldots,N\}\rvert \gg N^{1/2-\epsilon}\]for all $\epsilon>0$ and large $N$?
This sequence is sometimes called the Mian-Chowla sequence. It is trivial that this sequence grows at least like $\gg N^{1/3}$.

Erdős and Graham [ErGr80] also asked about the difference set $A-A$, whether this has positive density, and whether this contains $22$. It does contain $22$, since $a_{15}-a_{14}=204-182=22$. The smallest integer which is unknown to be in $A-A$ is $33$ (see A080200). It may be true that all or almost all integers are in $A-A$.

This sequence is at OEIS A005282.

See also [156].
Additional thanks to: Boris Alexeev and Vjekoslav Kovac
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This page was last edited 18 November 2025. (View history) (View the LaTeX source)

When referring to this problem, please use the original sources of Erdős. If you wish to acknowledge this website, the recommended citation format is:

T. F. Bloom, Erdős Problem #340, https://www.erdosproblems.com/340, accessed 2026-09-01

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