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Friendly numbers (Posted on 2023-06-02) Difficulty: 4 of 5
The abundancy index of a number is the ratio of the sum of its factors to the number itself.

For example a(12)=σ(n)/n=(1+2+3+4+6+12)/12 = 28/12 = 7/3.

Two numbers n and m are said to be friends if a(n)=a(m). Numbers that have at least one friend are called friendly numbers. Numbers with no friends are called solitary.

Task 1: Find at least one friend for the number 12.

Task 2: Prove there is a set of at least 50 mutual friends.

Task 3: Prove if the fraction σ(n)/n cannot be reduced then n is solitary.

Task 4: a(18)=39/18 which does reduce to 13/6. Prove 18 is solitary nevertheless.

Quite a few numbers have unknown status. The smallest of which is 10. I won't ask you to prove the status of any of these.

No Solution Yet Submitted by Jer    
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#1 and a start at #4 and failed attempt at 2 | Comment 2 of 5 |
clearvars,clc
abundancy=cell(100000,10000);
for n=1:10000
  nu=sum(divisors(n));
  g=gcd(nu,n);
  nu=nu/g; de=n/g;
  abundancy{nu,de}{end+1}=n;
end

creates a cell array whose subscripts are the numerator and denominator of the reduced fractions of the abundancy indices of the numbers up to 10,000.

To find friend to 12:

>> abundancy{7,3}
ans =
  1×2 cell array
    {[12]}    {[234]}
    
The number 234 has an abundancy of 546/234 = 7/3 as the divisors of 234 are:

  1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 13, 18, 26, 39, 78, 117, 234


To show 18 is solitary:

>> abundancy{13,6}
ans =
  1×1 cell array
    {[18]}
    
But this shows only that no number that's 10,000 or less is a friend; it could have friends in higher places.    

Finding 50 or more mutual friends:

The most I could find:

     8     3     4
>> abundancy{8,3}
ans =
  1×4 cell array
    {[84]}    {[270]}    {[1488]}    {[1638]}

  Posted by Charlie on 2023-06-02 12:13:13
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