Number theoryDifficulty 8.2ShortlistProve itRomania
We say that a natural number n≥3 is almost square-free if there exists a prime number p, with p≡1(mod3), such that n is divisible by p2, and the number pn is square-free (i.e., not divisible by the square of any prime number).
Show that, for any natural number n that is almost square-free, the ratio between twice the sum of the divisors of n and the number of divisors of n is a natural number.
Lucian Petrescu
Solution
Consider n=p1⋯pk−1⋅pk2⋅pk+1⋯ps, with p1<p2<⋯<ps prime numbers, 1≤k≤s, and p=pk≡1(mod3). Moreover, p is odd and satisfies p2+p+1≡0(mod3).
The number of divisors of n, τ(n), is τ(n)=applied s−1 times(1+1)⋅(1+1)⋯(1+1)⋅(2+1)=3⋅2s−1, and the sum of the divisors, σ(n), is: σ(n)=p1−1p12−1⋯pk−1−1pk−12−1⋅pk−1pk3−1⋯pk+1−1pk+12−1⋯ps−1ps2−1=(p1+1)⋯(pk−1+1)⋅(pk2+pk+1)⋅(pk+1+1)⋯(ps+1).
Case I. If n is even, then p1=2, and p2<p3<⋯<ps are odd primes. Hence, 2σ(n)=2⋅(2+1)⋅(p2+1)⋯(pk−1+1)⋅(pk2+pk+1)⋅(pk+1+1)⋯(ps+1), so 2σ(n) is divisible by 2⋅32⋅2s−2=3⋅τ(n).
Case II. If n is odd, then p1<p2<⋯<ps are odd primes, so σ(n)=(p1+1)⋯(pk−1+1)⋅(pk2+pk+1)⋅(pk+1+1)⋯(ps+1) is divisible by 3⋅2s−1=τ(n).
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