where and are fixed integers. Although and satisfy the same recurrence relation, they differ on the values of their first two elements and thus differ for subsequent elements as well. Any sequence satisfying this recurrence relation can be represented as a linear combination of the Lucas sequences and
More generally, Lucas sequences and represent sequences of polynomials in and with integer coefficients.
When , the Lucas sequences and satisfy certain Pell equations:
Relations between sequences with different parameters
For any number c, the sequences and with
have the same discriminant as and :
For any number c, we also have
Other relations
The terms of Lucas sequences satisfy relations that are generalizations of those between Fibonacci numbers and Lucas numbers . For example:
Fast computation
Various analogues of exponentiation by squaring can be used to calculate Lucas sequences efficiently, in operations. To simultaneously calculate and , one can use the properties (3) and (4) to perform double-and-add. Alternatively, calculate the matrix exponentiation to use and
(6) and (7) allow fast calculation of V independent of U using double-and-add. The relation (which belongs to the section above, "relations between sequences with different parameters") is also useful for this purpose.
Another method based on (3) and (6) is the Lucas chain. This method takes fewer operations than double-and-add but requires pre-calculation of chains.
Divisibility properties
Among the consequences is that is a multiple of , i.e., the sequence
is a divisibility sequence. This implies, in particular, that can be prime only when n is prime.
Moreover, if , then is a strong divisibility sequence.
Let N be an integer relatively prime to 2Q. If the smallest positive integer r for which N divides exists, then the set of n for which N divides is exactly the set of multiples of r.
If P and Q are even, then are always even except .
If P is odd and Q is even, then are always odd for every .
If P is even and Q is odd, then the parity of is the same as n and is always even.
If P and Q are odd, then are even if and only if n is a multiple of 3.
A prime factor of a term in a Lucas sequence which does not divide any earlier term in the sequence is called primitive.
Carmichael's theorem states that all but finitely many of the terms in a Lucas sequence have a primitive prime factor. Indeed, Carmichael (1913) showed that if D is positive and n is not 1, 2 or 6, then has a primitive prime factor. In the case D is negative, a deep result of Bilu, Hanrot, Voutier and Mignotte shows that if n > 30, then has a primitive prime factor and determines all cases has no primitive prime factor.
Specific names
The Lucas sequences for some values of P and Q have specific names:
Lucas sequences are used in some primality proof methods, including the Lucas–Lehmer and Lucas–Lehmer–Riesel tests and the hybrid N−1/N+1 methods such as those in Brillhart-Lehmer-Selfridge 1975.
LUC is a public-key cryptosystem based on Lucas sequences that implements the analogs of ElGamal (LUCELG), Diffie–Hellman (LUCDIF), and RSA (LUCRSA). The encryption of the message in LUC is computed as a term of certain Lucas sequence, instead of using modular exponentiation as in RSA or Diffie–Hellman. However, it is argued that many of the supposed security advantages of LUC over cryptosystems based on modular exponentiation are either not present, or not as substantial as claimed.
Generalizations
The sequence , which is a solution to the recurrence when and are the roots of the corresponding quadratic equation , generalizes to degree . Specifically, for the recurrence relation with integers and typically with , let be the roots of the corresponding polynomial equation Then is a sequence of integers satisfying the recurrence, as is evidenced by its ordinary generating function,
Software
SageMath implements and as functions lucas_number1() and lucas_number2(), respectively.
↑P. J. Smith; M. J. J. Lennon (1993). "LUC: A new public key system". Proceedings of the Ninth IFIP Int. Symp. On Computer Security: 103–117. CiteSeerX10.1.1.32.1835.{{cite journal}}: Cite uses deprecated parameter |citeseerx= (help)
Lagarias, J. C. (1985). "The set of primes dividing Lucas Numbers has density 2/3". Pac. J. Math. 118 (2): 449–461. doi:10.2140/pjm.1985.118.449. MR0789184.
Hans Riesel (1994). Prime Numbers and Computer Methods for Factorization. Progress in Mathematics. Vol.126 (2nded.). Birkhäuser. pp.107–121. ISBN0-8176-3743-5.