Recursively abundant and recursively perfect numbers

A positive integer $n$ is said to be $k$-layered if its divisors can be partitioned into $k$ sets with equal sum. In this paper, we start the systematic study of these class of numbers. In particular, we state some algorithms to find some even $k$-layered numbers $n$ such that $2^{\alpha}n$ is a $k$-layered number for every positive integer $\alpha$. We also find the smallest $k$-layered number for $1\leq k\leq 8$. Furthermore, we study when $n!$ is a $3$-layered and when is ...

A positive integer $n$ is called an abundant number if $\sigma (n)\ge 2n$, where $\sigma (n)$ is the sum of all positive divisors of $n$. Let $E(x)$ be the largest number of consecutive abundant numbers not exceeding $x$. In 1935, P. Erd\H os proved that there are two positive constants $c_1$ and $c_2$ such that $c_1\log\log\log x\le E(x)\le c_2\log\log\log x$. In this paper, we resolve this old problem by proving that, $E(x)/\log \log\log x$ tends to a limit as $x\to +\infty...

In 1915, Ramanujan proved asymptotic inequalities for the sum of divisors function, assuming the Riemann hypothesis (RH). We consider a strong version of Ramanujan's theorem and define highest abundant numbers that are extreme with respect to the Ramanujan and Robin inequalities. Properties of these numbers are very different depending on whether the RH is true or false.

Generalizing the concept of a perfect number is a Zumkeller or integer perfect number that was introduced by Zumkeller in 2003. The positive integer $n$ is a Zumkeller number if its divisors can be partitioned into two sets with the same sum, which will be $\sigma(n)/2$. Generalizing even further, we call $n$ a $k$-layered number if its divisors can be partitioned into $k$ sets with equal sum. In this paper, we completely characterize Zumkeller numbers with two distinct pri...

A number is perfect if it is the sum of its proper divisors; here we call a finite group `perfect' if its order is the sum of the orders of its proper normal subgroups. (This conflicts with standard terminology but confusion should not arise.) The notion of perfect group generalizes that of perfect number, since a cyclic group is perfect exactly when its order is perfect. We show that, in fact, the only abelian perfect groups are the cyclic ones, and exhibit some non-abelian ...

In this paper, we prove the conjecture that if there is an odd perfect number, then there are infinitely many of them.

A positive integer $n$ is said to be a Zumkeller number or an integer-perfect number if the set of its positive divisors can be partitioned into two subsets of equal sums. In this paper, we prove several results regarding Zumkeller numbers. For any positive integer $m$, we prove that there are infinitely many positive integers $n$ for which $n+1,\cdots, n+m$ are all Zumkeller numbers. Additionally, we show that every positive integer greater than $94185$ can be expressed as a...

This article establishes a new upper bound on the function $\sigma^{*}(n)$, the sum of all coprime divisors of $n$. The article concludes with two questions concerning this function.

For an integer $k\ge2$, a tuple of $k$ positive integers $(M_i)_{i=1}^{k}$ is called an amicable $k$-tuple if the equation \[ \sigma(M_1)=\cdots=\sigma(M_k)=M_1+\cdots+M_k \] holds. This is a generalization of amicable pairs. An amicable pair is a pair of distinct positive integers each of which is the sum of the proper divisors of the other. Gmelin (1917) conjectured that there is no relatively prime amicable pairs and Artjuhov (1975) and Borho (1974) proved that for any fix...

Let $N$ be an odd perfect number and let $a$ be its third largest prime divisor, $b$ be the second largest prime divisor, and $c$ be its largest prime divisor. We discuss steps towards obtaining a non-trivial upper bound on $a$, as well as the closely related problem of improving bounds $bc$, and $abc$. In particular, we prove two results. First we prove a new general bound on any prime divisor of an odd perfect number and obtain as a corollary of that bound that $$a < 2N^{\f...