Exercise 926Number theory › Divisibility and gcdOlympiadAdded 3 Nov 2026
Perfect numbers
#perfect numbers#sum of divisors#Euclid
Statement
A positive integer is perfect if . Show that if is prime (a Mersenne prime), then is perfect.
Hint
Use multiplicativity of since and are coprime.
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Solution
Coprimality. since is a power of and is odd.
Multiplicativity.
(The second factor uses since is prime.)
Conclusion. , so is perfect.
Example. : ; : ; : .