Computation of the Smallest Odd Abundant Number

David Terr, PhD

7/9/22
In this article we show how to compute the smallest odd abundant number
n. We begin with a few definitions.
Definition 1: For an arbitrary positive integer n, we let s(n) denote the
sum of all nontrivial divisors of n, i.e., the sum of all positive divisors of n
except n itself.
For example, the nontrivial divisors of 12 are 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, so s(12) =
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 6 = 16.
Definition 2: A positive integer n is said to be abundant if s(n) > n.
Definition 3: For an arbitrary positive integer n, we let σ(n) denote the
sum of all positive divisors of n.
From Definitions 1 and 3, the following formula is obvious:
(1) σ(n) = s(n) + n.

From Definition 2 and Equation (1), the following proposition is also obvious:
Proposiition 4: A positive integer n is abundant if and only if σ(n)/n > 2.
There is a well known formula for computing σ(n)/n which we state here
as a proposition but we do not derive. For those interested, see [1].
Proposiition 5: Let n be an arbitrary positive integer with prime factor-
ization given by
Yr
n= pei i ,
i=1
where p1 , . . . , pr are the distinct prime divisors of n and the exponents ei
are positive integers. Then we have
r ei
σ(n) Y X
(2) = p−d
i .
n
i=1 d=0

For example, let n = 60 = 22 · 3 · 5. From Equation (2) we have

σ(60)
= (1 + 2−1 + 2−2 )(1 + 3−1 )(1 + 5−1 )
60
   
7 4 6
=
4 3 5
14
= .
5

1
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Definition 6: Let n be a positive integer with prime divisor p such that

pe divides n but pe+1 does not. The multiplier M (n; p) of n with respect to
p is defined as follows:
e
X
(3) M (n; p) = p−d .
d=0

From Proposition 5 and Definition 6, the following propositioin is clear:

Proposiition 7: Let n be an arbitrary positive integer with prime divisors
p1 , . . . , pr . Then we have
r
σ(n) Y
(4) = M (n; pi ).
n
i=1

The following proposition gives useful lower and upper bounds on M (n; p).
Proposiition 8: Let n be a positive integer with prime divisor p. Then
we have
p+1 p
(5) ≤ M (n; p) < .
p p−1

Proof: The inequality on the left follows from Equation (3), with equality
in the case e = 1. The inequality on the right also follows from (3) since the
finite sum is less than the corresponding infinite geometric series
∞
X 1 p
p−d = −1
=
1−p p−1
d=0
as claimed. 
Finally we will find the following proposition useful as well:
Proposiition 9: Let n be a positive integer with at least two distinct
prime divisors, p and q, with p < q. Then we have M (n; p) > M (n; q).
Proof: Since p ≤ q − 1, from Equation (5) we have the following:
p+1
M (n; p) ≥
p
1
=1+
p
1
≥1+
q−1
q
=
q−1
> M (n; q).

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Armed with the above definitions as propositions, we are now ready to

compute the smallest odd abundant number, i.e., the smallest odd number
n such that σ(n)/n > 2. We let p1 , . . . , pr denote the distinct prime divisors
of n with p1 < p2 < . . . < pr . Clearly p1 ≥ 3 since n is odd. First we need
to find a lower bound on r.
First let us suppose r = 1. From Propositions 7 and 9, we have
σ(n) 3
= M (n; p1 ) ≤ M (n, 3) < < 2,
n 2
so n cannot be abundant. Thus we must have r ≥ 2.
Next let us suppose r = 2. From Propositions 7 and 9, we have
σ(n)
= M (n; p1 )M (n; p2 )
n
≤ M (n, 3)M (n, 5)
  
3 5
<
2 4
15
= < 2,
8
so once again n cannot be abundant. Thus we must have r ≥ 3.
Next let us suppose r = 3. From Propositions 7 and 9, we have
σ(n)
= M (n; p1 )M (n; p2 )M (n; p3 )
n
≤ M (n; 3)M (n; 5)M (n; 7)
   
3 5 7
<
2 4 6
35
= .
16
Since 35/16 is greater than 2, we’re okay this time, so r = 3 may work. Let
us assume that the prime factorization of n is of the following form:
(6) n = 3e1 5e2 7e3 ,
where e1 , e2 , and e3 are positive integers. We are looking for the smallest
such integer n such that σ(n)/n is greater than 2. We can do best if we
assume e2 = e3 = 1, in which case we have M (n; 5) = 6/5 and M (n; 7) =
8/7, whence
σ(n) 48
= M (n; 3)M (n; 5)M (n; 7) = M (n; 3) > 2,
n 35
whence
e1
X 35
(7) M (n; 3) = 3−d > .
24
d=0
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It is straightforward to show that the smallest value of e1 satisfying Equation

(7) is 3, whence the smallest odd abundant number is n = 33 · 5 · 7 = 945.
Reference: [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divisor function#Properties
(Wikipedia article on the properties of the divisor function.)