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Perfect Numbers
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In number theory, a perfect number is a positive integer that is equal to Explore

the sum of its positive divisors, excluding the number itself. The smallest math program

perfect number is 6, which is equal to the sum of 1,2, and 3. Other perfect
numbers are 28, 496, and 8128. It is not known when perfect numbers Explore
coding program
were first studied and indeed the first studies may go back to the earliest
times when numbers first aroused curiosity. It is quite likely, although not
certain, that the Egyptians would have come across such numbers
naturally given the way their methods of calculation worked

History of Perfect Numbers

There is not much information regarding the discovery of perfect
numbers. It is said that perhaps the Egyptians may have discovered
them. Despite knowing the existence of perfect numbers, it was only the
Greeks who were eager to study more about these numbers. Perfect
numbers were studied by Pythagoras and his followers for its
mystical properties. The smallest perfect number found was 6. It is still
unknown whether there are infinite perfect numbers. The number 6
gathered much attention in the beginning by the Pythagoreans, more for
its mystical and numerological properties than for any mathematical
significance, as it is the sum of its proper factors, i.e. 6 = 1 + 2 + 3. This is
the smallest Perfect Number, the next being 28.

The Pythagoreans were most interested in the occult properties of these

numbers, they did little of mathematical significance with them. It was
around 300 BC, when Euclid wrote his Elements that the first real result
was made. Although Euclid concentrated on Geometry, many number
theory results can be found in his text (Burton, 1980).

What are Perfect Numbers?

Perfect numbers are the positive integers that are equal to the sum of its
factors except for the number itself. In other words, perfect numbers are
the positive integers which are the sum of its proper divisors. The smallest
perfect number is 6, which is the sum of its proper divisors: 1, 2 and 3

Do you know that when the sum of all the divisors of a number is equal
to twice the number, the number has a separate name? Such numbers
are called complete numbers. In fact, all the perfect numbers are also
complete numbers.

Perfect Numbers List in a Table

The four perfect numbers 6, 28, 496 and 8128 are known to us since
ancient times. Let's see their divisors and their sum through the table
given below:

Perfect
Sum of Divisors
Number

6 1+2+3

28 1 + 2 + 4 + 7 + 14

496 1 + 2 + 4 + 8 + 16 + 31 + 62 + 124 + 248

1 + 2 + 4 + 8 + 16 + 32 + 64 + 127 + 254 + 508 +

8128
1016 + 2032 + 4064

How to Find a Perfect Number?

Perfect numbers are the special type of numbers that are less known to
students as compared to the other types of numbers. In this section, you
will learn how to find perfect numbers easily.
There is no single fixed preposition to find perfect numbers.
The first four perfect numbers are generated by the formula
2p−1(2p − 1), with p a prime number.
Prime numbers of the form 2p − 1 are known as Mersenne
Primes, after the seventeenth-century monk Marin Mersenne.
Some of them are given below.

Proposition 1

If as many numbers as those beginning from the unit be set out

continuously in double proportion until the sum of all becomes a prime,
then the product of the sum and the last number makes a perfect
number. Double Proportion means that each number in a sequence is
double the preceding number. For example, 1+2+4=7 is a prime number.

According to Proposition 1, sum × last number = perfect number

7 × 4=28

And yes! 28 is a perfect number.

Proposition 2
N(N + 1)
If N is a Mersenne prime, then is a perfect number.
2
Mersenne prime is a prime that is one less than the power of 2. For

example, Let's take N as 31 which is 1 less than 24. Then,

N(N + 1) 31(31 + 1)
= = 496
2 2
And 496 is a perfect number.

Topics related to Perfect Numbers

Here are a few topics that can be referred to for more information on
topics related to perfect numbers.

Perfect Number Calculator

Prime Number Calculator
How to Know if a Number is a Perfect Square?

Tips and Tricks

The kth perfect number has k digits.

All the perfect numbers are even. It is still unknown whether odd
perfect numbers exist or not.
All the perfect numbers end in 6 and 8 alternatively.
The sum of all the divisors of a perfect number gives the result as
twice the perfect number.
Important Notes
Perfect numbers are the positive integers which are the sum of their
proper divisors.
The smallest perfect number is 6
If 2k -1 is prime for k>1, then 2k-1(2k -1) is a perfect number.
The only square-free perfect number is 6
A perfect number is called Ore Harmonic number if the harmonic
mean of its divisor is an integer.

Important Topics

Factors

Solved Examples

Example 1

Is 28 a perfect number?

Solution:

The proper factors of 28 are 1, 2, 4, 7 and 14. The sum of proper

factors is 28. According to the definition of perfect numbers, 28 is
a perfect number. therefore, 28 is a perfect number.

Example 2

According to Euclid's proposition, if 2p -1 is a prime number, then

2p-1(2p-1) is a perfect number. Can you make a list of 8 perfect

numbers using this proposition?

Solution:

The first 8 Mersenne Primes are 2, 3, 5, 7, 13, 17, 19 and 31.

Prime, Perfect Number, 2p-

2p-1 2p-1
p 1(2p-1)

2 3 2 6

3 7 4 28

5 31 16 496

7 127 64 8128

13 8191 4096 33550336

17 131071 65536 8589869056

19 524287 262144 137438691328

31 2147483647 1073741824 2305843008139952128

Therefore, the above-mentioned are the first 8 perfect numbers.

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Interactive Questions

Q. 1

Help Kate pick out the perfect numbers.

32

28

Check Answer

Q. 2

Which one of the following is the correct statement?

Perfect numbers can be written as the sum of its divisors.

Perfect numbers can be written as the sum of its proper

factors.

Perfect numbers can be written as the sum of its factors.

Perfect numbers can be written as the sum of its multiples.

Check Answer

Q. 3

Which one of the following is the third perfect number?

A 495

B 369

C 496

D 649

Check Answer

Q. 4

State true or false.

True False

All perfect numbers can be written as the

sum of its proper divisors.

There are also odd perfect numbers.

The smallest perfect number is 9

All the perfect number known today are all

even.

Check Answer

FAQs on Perfect Numbers

What are the First 5 Perfect Numbers?

How Many Perfect Numbers are There?

What are the First 10 Perfect Numbers?

What is the Largest Perfect Number?

Is 9 a Perfect Number?

What is the Smallest Perfect Number?

How Many Perfect Numbers are there and What are the Perfect
Numbers from 1 to 100?

Download FREE Study Materials

Perfect Numbers Related Worksheet

Factors and Multiples Worksheet

Worksheet Related To Perfect Numbers

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