Superperfect number
In number theory, a superperfect number is a positive integer that satisfies
where is the sum-of-divisors function. Superperfect numbers are not a generalization of perfect numbers but have a common generalization. The term was coined by D. Suryanarayana.
The first few superperfect numbers are:
To illustrate: it can be seen that 16 is a superperfect number as, and, thus.
If is an even superperfect number, then must be a power of 2,, such that is a Mersenne prime.
It is not known whether there are any odd superperfect numbers. An odd superperfect number would have to be a square number such that either or is divisible by at least three distinct primes. There are no odd superperfect numbers below 7.
Generalizations
Perfect and superperfect numbers are examples of the wider class of m-superperfect numbers, which satisfycorresponding to m = 1 and 2 respectively. For m ≥ 3 there are no even m-superperfect numbers.
The m-superperfect numbers are in turn examples of -perfect numbers which satisfy
With this notation, perfect numbers are -perfect, multiperfect numbers are -perfect, superperfect numbers are -perfect and m-superperfect numbers are -perfect. Examples of classes of -perfect numbers are: