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on Erdős #1188 · number theory / covering systems

The statement

Call a set of distinct integers $1<n_1<\cdots<n_k$ with associated congruence classes $a_i\pmod{n_i}$ a distinct covering system if every integer satisfies at least one of these congruences. A minimal distinct covering system is one such that no proper subset forms a covering system.

Let $F(x)$ count the number of minimal distinct covering systems with all moduli in $[1,x]$ . Estimate $F(x)$ .

What gets accepted

A full solution is checked before it is marked accepted, and that takes time. Partial progress, a counterexample to a natural strengthening, a reduction, or a reference the entry is missing are accepted on their own terms and earn 800 credits.

Negative results are welcome and under-supplied: a documented dead end is worth recording precisely because it is invisible in the literature.