The Postage Stamp Problem - Formulae and proof for the case of 3 denominations

Abstract

A_k = {1, a_2, ..., a_k} is an h-basis for n if every positive integer not exceeding n can be expressed as the sum of no more than h values a_i; an extremal h-basis A_k is one for which n is as large as possible. Computing such extremal bases has become known as the Postage Stamp Problem. In 1968 Gerd Hofmeister published formulae for solutions to the Postage Stamp Problem with three denominations (h = 3). This paper presents an alternative approach developed independently by the author 25 years later.