Discovering New Theorems via LLMs with In-Context Proof Learning in Lean

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Kasaura, Kazumi, Onda, Naoto, Oriike, Yuta, Taniguchi, Masaya, Sannai, Akiyoshi, Sonoda, Sho
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
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author Kasaura, Kazumi
Onda, Naoto
Oriike, Yuta
Taniguchi, Masaya
Sannai, Akiyoshi
Sonoda, Sho
author_facet Kasaura, Kazumi
Onda, Naoto
Oriike, Yuta
Taniguchi, Masaya
Sannai, Akiyoshi
Sonoda, Sho
contents Large Language Models (LLMs) have demonstrated significant promise in formal theorem proving. In this study, we investigate the ability of LLMs to discover novel theorems and produce verified proofs. We propose a pipeline called \textit{Conjecturing-Proving Loop} (CPL), which iteratively generates mathematical conjectures and attempts to prove them in Lean 4. A key feature of CPL is that each iteration conditions the LLM on previously generated theorems and their formal proofs, enabling parameter-free improvement of proof strategies via in-context learning. We provide both theoretical and experimental evidence that CPL increases the discovery rate of hard-to-prove theorems compared to frameworks that generate statements and proofs simultaneously. Moreover, our experiments show that reusing the LLM's own formally verified outputs as context consistently improves subsequent proof success, demonstrating the effectiveness of self-generated in-context learning for neural theorem proving. The source code is available at https://github.com/auto-res/ConjecturingProvingLoop.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_14274
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Discovering New Theorems via LLMs with In-Context Proof Learning in Lean
Kasaura, Kazumi
Onda, Naoto
Oriike, Yuta
Taniguchi, Masaya
Sannai, Akiyoshi
Sonoda, Sho
Machine Learning
Artificial Intelligence
Logic in Computer Science
Large Language Models (LLMs) have demonstrated significant promise in formal theorem proving. In this study, we investigate the ability of LLMs to discover novel theorems and produce verified proofs. We propose a pipeline called \textit{Conjecturing-Proving Loop} (CPL), which iteratively generates mathematical conjectures and attempts to prove them in Lean 4. A key feature of CPL is that each iteration conditions the LLM on previously generated theorems and their formal proofs, enabling parameter-free improvement of proof strategies via in-context learning. We provide both theoretical and experimental evidence that CPL increases the discovery rate of hard-to-prove theorems compared to frameworks that generate statements and proofs simultaneously. Moreover, our experiments show that reusing the LLM's own formally verified outputs as context consistently improves subsequent proof success, demonstrating the effectiveness of self-generated in-context learning for neural theorem proving. The source code is available at https://github.com/auto-res/ConjecturingProvingLoop.
title Discovering New Theorems via LLMs with In-Context Proof Learning in Lean
topic Machine Learning
Artificial Intelligence
Logic in Computer Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.14274