To prove when n=1, then since ∑d∣nμ(d)=μ(1)=1, the lemma holds.
Now suppose n⩾2 is an integer. When m is a positive integer and m∣n, we use the notation ∑m∣d∣n to denote a sum over all divisors d of n that are divisible by m. In particular, when m=1, ∑1∣d∣n is the same as ∑d∣n. Now let p be a prime, then we have
d∣p∑μ(d)=1+μ(p)=1−1=0
Now let p1,⋯,pl be l distinct primes, we first prove
d∣p1⋯pl∑μ(d)=0
When l=1, by (56) we know (57) holds. Now suppose k⩾2 and (57) holds for i=1,⋯,k−1, i.e.,
d∣p1⋯pk−1∑μ(d)=0
Then by p1,⋯,pk being k distinct primes and Lemma 13, we have
∑d∣p1⋯pkμ(d)=∑d∣p1⋯pk−1μ(d)+∑pk∣d∣p1⋯pkμ(d)=(1+μ(pk))∑d∣p1⋯pk−1μ(d)=0
Thus, when l=k, (57) also holds, and by mathematical induction, (57) holds.
Let n=p1a1⋯plal, where p1,⋯,pl are l distinct primes, and a1,⋯,al are l positive integers. Since μ(d)=0 when d is divisible by the square of a prime, by (57) we have
d∣n∑μ(d)=d∣p1⋯pl∑μ(d)=0
Thus, the lemma is proved.