Let f ( 1 ) = 1 , and let f ( n + 1 ) = 2 2 f ( n ) for every positive integer n. We consider the following hypothesis: if a system S ⊆ {xi · xj = xk : i, j, k ∈ {1, . . . , n}} ∪ {xi + 1 = xk : i, k ∈{1, . . . , n}} has only finitely many solutions in non-negative integers x1, . . . , xn, then each such solution (x1, . . . , xn) satisfies x1, . . . , xn ≤ f (2n). We prove: (1) the hypothesisimplies that there exists an algorithm which takes as input a Diophantine equation, returns an integer, and this integer is greater than the heights of integer (non-negative integer, positive integer, rational) solutions, if the solution set is finite; (2) the hypothesis implies that there exists an algorithm for listing the Diophantine equations with infinitely many solutions in non-negative integers; (3) the hypothesis implies that the question whether or not a given Diophantine equation has only finitely many rational solutions is decidable by a single query to an oracle that decides whether or not a given Diophantine equation has a rational solution; (4) the hypothesis implies that the question whether or not a given Diophantine equation has only finitely many integer solutions is decidable by a single query to an oracle that decides whether or not a given Diophantine equation has an integer solution; (5) the hypothesis implies that if a set M ⊆ N has a finite-fold Diophantine representation, then M is computable.
A hypothetical way to compute an upper bound for the heights of solutions of a Diophantine equation with a finite number of solutions
