Let be a random positive integer in Let be the expected value of the number of positive integer solutions to What is ?
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There's no such thing as a "random positive integer," but what you probably mean is: "let k be a random positive integer in [ 1 , N ] . Let E N be the expected value of the number of positive integer solutions to x 2 + y 2 = k . What is n → ∞ lim E N ?"
In that case, E N equals 1 / N times the number of solutions to 1 ≤ x 2 + y 2 ≤ N , which is (one less than) the number of lattice points inside the first quadrant of a circle of radius N centered at the origin, which is N 1 ( 4 1 π N + O ( N ) ) = 4 π + O ( 1 / N ) .
( Here is a nice reference to the so-called "Gauss circle problem.")
So the limit is 4 π ≈ 0 . 7 8 5 .