Prime numbers and dynamics of the polynomial $x^2-1$
Abstract: Let $n \in \mathbb{Z}{\geqslant 2}$. By $P(n)$ we denote the set of all prime divisors of the integers in the sequence $n, n2-1, (n2-1)2-1, \dots$. We ask whether the set $P(n)$ determines $n$ uniquely under the assumption that $n \neq m2-1$ for $m \in \mathbb{Z}{\geqslant 2}$. This problem originates in the structure theory of infinite-dimensional Lie algebras. We show that the sets $P(n)$ generate infinitely many equivalence classes of positive integers under the equivalence relation $n_1 \sim n_2 \iff P(n_1) = P(n_2)$. We also prove that the sets $P(n)$ separate all positive integers up to $2{29}$, and we provide some heuristics on why the answer to our question should be positive.
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