On the distribution of the sequence (nα) with transcendental α
For a prime p > 2, an integer a with gcd(a,p) = 1 and real 1 ≤ X,Y < p, we consider the set of points on the modular hyperbola . We give asymptotic formulas for the average values and with the Euler function φ(k) on the differences between the components of points of .
This paper and its sequels deal with a new concept of distributions modulo one which is connected with the Dirichlet divisor and similar problems. Each of the theorems has some independent interest, and in addition some of the techniques developed lead to improvements in certain applications of the hyperbola method.
As promised in the first paper of this series (Ann. Inst. Fourier, 26-4 (1976), 115-131), these two articles deal with the asymptotic distribution of the fractional parts of where is an arithmetical function (namely , , ) and is an integer (or a prime order) running over the interval . The results obtained are rather sharp, although one can improve on some of them at the cost of increased technicality. Number-theoretic applications will be given later on.