[Math] If $n$ is a perfect square number then $\sigma(n)$ is odd number.

number theory

How to prove that if $n$ is a perfect square number then $\sigma(n)$ is odd number.

This $\sigma(n)$ is the sum of all divisors of $n$.

Best Answer

If $p$ is a prime, then $\sigma(p^{2n}) = 1+p+p^2+\cdots +p^{2n}$ is a sum of $1$ and $2n$ numbers of the same parity and so is odd.

Since $\sigma$ is multiplicative, $\sigma(p_1^{2n_1} \cdots p_m^{2n_m})=\sigma(p_1^{2n_1}) \cdots \sigma(p_m^{2n_m})$ is the product of odd numbers and so is odd.

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