
This preprint introduces a new mathematical construction called the Recursive-Adic Number Field, which defines a number system based on recursive structure rather than traditional divisibility. The core of the paper is a recursive function R(n) that measures how efficiently a number can be built from smaller parts using a process called Recursive Division Tree (RDT). This function behaves differently from standard number-theoretic functions like the number of divisors or prime exponents. Instead, it captures a form of recursive compressibility, or how “deep” a number is when broken down through optimal recursive splits. From this, the paper builds two related systems: A recursive metric on the integers, defining a new kind of distance based on R(n), and leading to an ultrametric completion of the integers. A valued field, where numbers are embedded into formal power series and their magnitude is given by recursive depth rather than by primes, as in p-adic numbers. The paper includes: Formal definitions and proofs of the metric, valuation, and structural properties A saturation theorem showing that for certain parameters, the recursive depth function levels off at a finite value Code implementations in Wolfram Language to compute R(n), generate plots, and visualize recursive trees Definitions of recursive Dirichlet and Laplace transforms A discussion of complexity, with the main algorithm running in O(n2)O(n^2) time with memoization An appendix with a potential machine learning application, using recursive depth to weight attention mechanisms This work draws connections to p-adic numbers, non-Archimedean geometry, and formal power series fields. The construction is independent, original, and designed to explore how recursion can define new notions of magnitude, distance, and structure in number systems.
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