Perfect numbers: A perfect number is a positive integer that is equal to the sum of its proper divisors. Proper divisors are positive integers that are factors of the number but are not equal to the number itself. For example, the proper divisors of 6 are 1, 2, and 3, and the sum of these divisors iRead more
Perfect numbers:
A perfect number is a positive integer that is equal to the sum of its proper divisors. Proper divisors are positive integers that are factors of the number but are not equal to the number itself. For example, the proper divisors of 6 are 1, 2, and 3, and the sum of these divisors is 6 + 2 + 3 = 11. Since 6 is equal to the sum of its proper divisors, it is a perfect number.
The first few perfect numbers are 6, 28, 496, and 8128. Perfect numbers are rare, and there is no known formula for generating them. It is conjectured that there are infinitely many perfect numbers, but this has not been proven.
Amicable numbers:
A pair of amicable numbers are two positive integers such that the sum of the proper divisors of one number is equal to the other number, and vice versa. In other words, if (a, b) is a pair of amicable numbers, then σ(a) = b and σ(b) = a, where σ(n) is the sum of the positive divisors of n. For example, the pair (220, 284) is an amicable pair because the sum of the proper divisors of 220 is 284, and the sum of the proper divisors of 284 is 220.
The first few amicable pairs are (220, 284), (1184, 1210), and (2620, 2924). There are infinitely many amicable pairs, and there are efficient algorithms for finding them.
Perfect numbers and amicable numbers have been studied since ancient times, and they continue to be a source of fascination and intrigue for mathematicians and number theorists.
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Number theory is a branch of mathematics devoted primarily to the study of the integers (1, 2, 3, ...). It is often called "higher arithmetic" due to its foundational role in mathematics. Number theorists study the properties of integers, such as divisibility, primality, and factoring. They also stuRead more
Number theory is a branch of mathematics devoted primarily to the study of the integers (1, 2, 3, …). It is often called “higher arithmetic” due to its foundational role in mathematics. Number theorists study the properties of integers, such as divisibility, primality, and factoring. They also study the relationships between different types of integers, such as odd and even numbers, prime numbers and composite numbers, and perfect numbers.
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