Difference between revisions of "Divisor"

 
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An [[natural number]] <math>\displaystyle{d}</math> is called a divisor of a natural number <math>\displaystyle{n}</math> if there is a natural number <math>\displaystyle{k}</math> such that <math>n=kd</math> or, in other words, if <math>\displaystyle\frac nd</math> is also a natural number.
 
An [[natural number]] <math>\displaystyle{d}</math> is called a divisor of a natural number <math>\displaystyle{n}</math> if there is a natural number <math>\displaystyle{k}</math> such that <math>n=kd</math> or, in other words, if <math>\displaystyle\frac nd</math> is also a natural number.
 
===How many divisors does a number have===
 
===How many divisors does a number have===
If <math>n=p_1^{\alpha_1}\cdot\dots\cdot p_n^{\alpha_n}</math> is the [[prime factorization]] of <math>\displaystyle{n}</math>, then the number <math>d(n)</math> of different divisors of <math>n</math> is given by the formula <math>d(n)=(\alpha_1+1)\cdot\dots\cdot(\alpha_n+1)</math>. It is often useful to know that this expression grows slower than any positive power of <math>\displaystyle{n}</math> as <math>\displaystyle n\to\infty</math>. Another useful idea is that <math>d(n)</math> is odd if and only if <math>\displaystyle{n}</math> is a perfect square.  
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See main article, [[Counting divisors]]. If <math>n=p_1^{\alpha_1}\cdot\dots\cdot p_n^{\alpha_n}</math> is the [[prime factorization]] of <math>\displaystyle{n}</math>, then the number <math>d(n)</math> of different divisors of <math>n</math> is given by the formula <math>d(n)=(\alpha_1+1)\cdot\dots\cdot(\alpha_n+1)</math>. It is often useful to know that this expression grows slower than any positive power of <math>\displaystyle{n}</math> as <math>\displaystyle n\to\infty</math>. Another useful idea is that <math>d(n)</math> is odd if and only if <math>\displaystyle{n}</math> is a perfect square.  
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===Useful formulae===
 
===Useful formulae===
 
* If <math>\displaystyle{m}</math> and <math>\displaystyle{n}</math> are [[relatively prime]], then <math>d(mn)=d(m)d(n)</math>
 
* If <math>\displaystyle{m}</math> and <math>\displaystyle{n}</math> are [[relatively prime]], then <math>d(mn)=d(m)d(n)</math>
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===See also===
 
===See also===
 
*[[Sum of divisors function]]
 
*[[Sum of divisors function]]
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*[[Number theory]]
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*[[GCD]]

Revision as of 21:47, 19 June 2006

Definition

An natural number $\displaystyle{d}$ is called a divisor of a natural number $\displaystyle{n}$ if there is a natural number $\displaystyle{k}$ such that $n=kd$ or, in other words, if $\displaystyle\frac nd$ is also a natural number.

How many divisors does a number have

See main article, Counting divisors. If $n=p_1^{\alpha_1}\cdot\dots\cdot p_n^{\alpha_n}$ is the prime factorization of $\displaystyle{n}$, then the number $d(n)$ of different divisors of $n$ is given by the formula $d(n)=(\alpha_1+1)\cdot\dots\cdot(\alpha_n+1)$. It is often useful to know that this expression grows slower than any positive power of $\displaystyle{n}$ as $\displaystyle n\to\infty$. Another useful idea is that $d(n)$ is odd if and only if $\displaystyle{n}$ is a perfect square.

Useful formulae

See also