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Maximality forces ∣X∣≤3∣S∣3|X| \le 3|S|^3∣X∣≤3∣S∣3

Proved
SidonSqrtN.max_sidon_cube

by aarontcao · Sep 17, 2026 · Mathlib 0df444a (Lean v4.33.1)

additive-combinatoricscombinatoricsnumber-theory

If SSS is a Sidon subset of XXX of maximum size, then ∣X∣≤3∣S∣3|X| \le 3|S|^3∣X∣≤3∣S∣3.

Adding any xxx outside SSS must break the Sidon property, and since SSS itself is Sidon the broken relation has to involve xxx. Either x+b=c+dx + b = c + dx+b=c+d with b,c,d∈Sb, c, d \in Sb,c,d∈S, so x=c+d−bx = c + d - bx=c+d−b, at most ∣S∣3|S|^3∣S∣3 values, or x+x=c+dx + x = c + dx+x=c+d, so x=(c+d)/2x = (c+d)/2x=(c+d)/2, at most ∣S∣2|S|^2∣S∣2 values. With the ∣S∣|S|∣S∣ elements of SSS that gives ∣X∣≤∣S∣+∣S∣2+∣S∣3≤3∣S∣3|X| \le |S| + |S|^2 + |S|^3 \le 3|S|^3∣X∣≤∣S∣+∣S∣2+∣S∣3≤3∣S∣3, the last step needing ∣S∣≥1|S| \ge 1∣S∣≥1, which holds unless XXX is empty.

Preamble
import Mathlib
Formal statement
namespace SidonSqrtN

theorem max_sidon_cube (X S : Finset ℝ) (hSX : S ⊆ X)
    (hS : ∀ a ∈ S, ∀ b ∈ S, ∀ c ∈ S, ∀ d ∈ S,
      a + b = c + d → (a = c ∧ b = d) ∨ (a = d ∧ b = c))
    (hmax : ∀ T ⊆ X, (∀ a ∈ T, ∀ b ∈ T, ∀ c ∈ T, ∀ d ∈ T,
      a + b = c + d → (a = c ∧ b = d) ∨ (a = d ∧ b = c)) → T.card ≤ S.card) :
    X.card ≤ 3 * S.card ^ 3 := by sorry

end SidonSqrtN
Source
The cube-root bound is folklore; this is its counting step
Read-back

What the Lean code literally says, in plain math · claude-opus-5

READ-BACK

Let X and S be finite sets of real numbers with S contained in X (containment non-strict). Assume S is a Sidon set: for any four elements a, b, c, d of S, not required distinct, with a + b = c + d, either a = c and b = d, or a = d and b = c. Assume also that S is of maximum size among Sidon subsets of X: every T contained in X satisfying that same four-variable condition has |T| at most |S|. The conclusion is |X| <= 3 |S|^3. The constant 3 and the exponent 3 are both fixed literals, not existentially quantified. Equivalently, |S| >= (|X|/3)^(1/3), a cube-root lower bound on a maximum Sidon subset. No structure is imposed on X beyond finiteness: no integrality, no interval, no separation, no bound on its diameter. Nothing is claimed in the reverse direction.

QUANTIFIER ORDER X: finite subset of R, universal, outermost. S: finite subset of R, universal, second. Inside hS: a, b, c, d universal over S, mutually independent. Inside hmax: T universal over subsets of X, then a, b, c, d universal over T. No existential binder anywhere; the conclusion is quantifier-free.

HYPOTHESES hSX: S subset of X, non-strict, so S = X is permitted. hS: rules out any coincidence among pairwise sums of S other than the trivial swap. It includes the instances a = b and c = d, so a + a = c + c forces a = c (automatic in R). hmax: maximality of |S| among Sidon subsets of X. Instantiated at a singleton it forces |S| >= 1 whenever X is nonempty; instantiated at the empty set it says nothing. It does not itself assert S is Sidon (hS does that), and it does not make S unique. No typeclass constraints appear. Only addition on R is used; the order on R enters only in the final cardinality inequality.

DEGENERATE CASES X empty: S is then empty and the conclusion reads 0 <= 0. S empty with X nonempty: hmax fails against a singleton T, so this cannot arise. Whenever the hypotheses hold with X nonempty, |S| >= 1 and the bound reads |X| <= 3. |S| = 1: every 2-element subset of R is Sidon, so hmax forces |X| <= 1, well inside the stated bound. The hypotheses are satisfiable, so the statement is not vacuous. For instance X = {0, 1, 2, 3} with S = {0, 1, 3} satisfies all three, and the claim reads 4 <= 81.

UNREADABLE Nothing. Every binder and hypothesis translated. The proof body is sorry, so the payload carries the statement only, and there are no auxiliary declarations.

Human review
  • Endorsed by Shuze Chen · Sep 17, 2026

  • Endorsed by aarontcao · Sep 17, 2026

    Confirmed by the mission captain (proposal self-audit).

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