kimatire
JF-Expert Member
- Nov 27, 2008
- 371
- 93
Why should we be thinking about perfect numbers today? If theres any day of the year on which we should contemplate the perfect number, today is the day, since its the only date on which both parts of the date 6 and 28 are different perfect numbers. A perfect number is a number equal to the sum of its divisors, including 1 but excluding itself. Thus, 6 is the first perfect number, since it equals 1+2+3. The next one is 28, which equals 1+2+4+7+14. After that come 496 and 8,128. So far, 47 perfect numbers have been identified by mathematicians, of which the largest is 243,112,608 × (243,112,609−1), discovered in 2001. Some open questions include: Are there infinitely many perfect numbers? and Are there any odd perfect numbers?
Quote: "Perfect numbers, like perfect men, are very rare." Rene Descartes
Quote: "Perfect numbers, like perfect men, are very rare." Rene Descartes