Prove that a Perfect Number is Triangular.

Let NN be a Perfect Number (a positive integer that is equal to the sum of its proper positive divisors), like 66, or 2828. It seems that all known perfect numbers are the sum of a series of consecutive positive integers starting with 11, that is, it seems that any perfect number is a triangular number. For example:
6=1+2+36=1+2+3,
28=1+2+3+4+5+6+728=1+2+3+4+5+6+7.

Prove that any even perfect number is triangular.

Note: It is not known whether there are any odd perfect numbers.

#NumberTheory

Note by Alexander Israel Flores Gutiérrez
4 years, 11 months ago

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Comments

Any even perfect number can be expressed as 2n1(2n1)2^{n-1}(2^n-1) for some natural number nn.Now it's quite easily seen that 2n1(2n1)=2n(2n1)22^{n-1}(2^n-1)=\dfrac{2^n(2^n-1)}{2} which fits the expression k(k+1)2\dfrac{k(k+1)}{2} (this is the expression for all triangular numbers) when k=2n1k=2^n-1

Abdur Rehman Zahid - 4 years, 10 months ago
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