Let be a Perfect Number (a positive integer that is equal to the sum of its proper positive divisors), like , or . It seems that all known perfect numbers are the sum of a series of consecutive positive integers starting with , that is, it seems that any perfect number is a triangular number. For example:
,
.
Prove that any even perfect number is triangular.
Note: It is not known whether there are any odd perfect numbers.
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Comments
Any even perfect number can be expressed as 2n−1(2n−1) for some natural number n.Now it's quite easily seen that 2n−1(2n−1)=22n(2n−1) which fits the expression 2k(k+1) (this is the expression for all triangular numbers) when k=2n−1