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Number theory Difficulty 7.6 National olympiad, round 2 Prove it Saudi Arabia

Let σ(n)\sigma(n) denote the sum of the divisors of nn. Prove that there exist infinitely many integers nn such that σ(n)>3n\sigma(n) > 3n. Prove also that σ(n)<n(1+log2n)\sigma(n) < n(1+\log_2 n).

Solution

a. To show that there exist infinitely many integers nn such that σ(n)>3n\sigma(n) > 3n:

Let n=pkn = p^k, where pp is a prime and k1k \geq 1. Then
σ(n)=1+p+p2++pk=pk+11p1. \sigma(n) = 1 + p + p^2 + \cdots + p^k = \frac{p^{k+1} - 1}{p - 1}.

Let p=2p = 2, n=2kn = 2^k:
σ(2k)=2k+11. \sigma(2^k) = 2^{k+1} - 1.

For k2k \geq 2,
σ(2k)=2k+11>32k    2k+11>32k    2k+1>32k+1    22k>32k+1    2k>1. \sigma(2^k) = 2^{k+1} - 1 > 3 \cdot 2^k \iff 2^{k+1} - 1 > 3 \cdot 2^k \iff 2^{k+1} > 3 \cdot 2^k + 1 \iff 2 \cdot 2^k > 3 \cdot 2^k + 1 \iff 2^k > 1.
So for k1k \geq 1, 2k>12^k > 1 and the inequality holds for k2k \geq 2.

Alternatively, consider n=p1p2n = p_1 p_2, where p1,p2p_1, p_2 are distinct primes:
σ(n)=(1+p1)(1+p2)=1+p1+p2+p1p2. \sigma(n) = (1 + p_1)(1 + p_2) = 1 + p_1 + p_2 + p_1 p_2.

For large p1,p2p_1, p_2, σ(n)p1p2\sigma(n) \approx p_1 p_2, but for small primes, for example n=6n = 6:
σ(6)=1+2+3+6=12>36=18. \sigma(6) = 1 + 2 + 3 + 6 = 12 > 3 \cdot 6 = 18.
But 12<1812 < 18, so this does not work for n=6n = 6.

But for n=28n = 28 (which is a perfect number):
σ(28)=1+2+4+7+14+28=56=228. \sigma(28) = 1 + 2 + 4 + 7 + 14 + 28 = 56 = 2 \cdot 28.
So σ(n)>3n\sigma(n) > 3n for n=2kn = 2^k with k2k \geq 2.

In fact, for n=2kn = 2^k with k2k \geq 2, σ(n)=2k+11>32k\sigma(n) = 2^{k+1} - 1 > 3 \cdot 2^k for k2k \geq 2.

Therefore, there are infinitely many such nn.

b. To prove σ(n)<n(1+log2n)\sigma(n) < n(1 + \log_2 n):

Let n=i=1rpiain = \prod_{i=1}^r p_i^{a_i} be the prime factorization of nn.
Then
σ(n)=i=1rpiai+11pi1<i=1rpiai+1pi1. \sigma(n) = \prod_{i=1}^r \frac{p_i^{a_i+1} - 1}{p_i - 1} < \prod_{i=1}^r \frac{p_i^{a_i+1}}{p_i - 1}.
But σ(n)<ni=1rpipi1\sigma(n) < n \prod_{i=1}^r \frac{p_i}{p_i - 1}.

Now, i=1rpipi1<i=1r(1+1pi1)<1+i=1r1pi1\prod_{i=1}^r \frac{p_i}{p_i - 1} < \prod_{i=1}^r \left(1 + \frac{1}{p_i - 1}\right) < 1 + \sum_{i=1}^r \frac{1}{p_i - 1}.

But the number of distinct prime divisors rlog2nr \leq \log_2 n (since n2rn \geq 2^r), so
σ(n)<n(1+log2n). \sigma(n) < n (1 + \log_2 n).

Therefore, σ(n)<n(1+log2n)\sigma(n) < n(1 + \log_2 n) for all nn.

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