On sequences of positive integers having no $p$ terms in arithmetic progression

Abstract

We use topological ideas to show that, assuming the conjecture of Erd\"(o)s on subsets of positive integers having no $p$ terms in arithmetic progression (A. P.), there must exist a subset $M_p$ of positive integers with no $p$ terms in A. P. with the property that among all such subsets, $M_p$ maximizes the sum of the reciprocals of its elements.