Euclid-Euler

1
Let us consider an integer of the form 2n−1 (2n − 1) where 2n − 1 is a prime.
σ(2n−1 (2n − 1)) = σ(2n−1 )σ(2n − 1) = (2n − 1)2n = 2 × 2n−1 (2n − 1).
n−1 n n−1 l
This is because 2 and 2 − 1 are coprime and the only divisors of 2 are 2 where l ∈

{0, 1, 2, ..., n − 1} and adding these divisors amount to summing up the Geometric progression.
n
Also, 2 − 1 is a prime and thus the only divisors are 1 and itself.
n−1 n
We conclude that 2 (2 − 1) is a perfect number.

2
Let N be an even perfect number, that is σ(N ) = 2N .
n
Let us write N =2 x x is odd.
where

2n and x σ(2n x) = σ(2n )σ(x) = (2n+1 − 1)σ(x).

are coprime, thus
n n+1
By hypothesis σ(2 x) = 2 x = (2n+1 − 1)σ(x).
x is odd, thus 2 n+1
− 1 | x and σ(x) = x + 2n+1x −1 .
x
Both x and n+1 are divisors of x, it follows that they must be the only ones. Thus x has
2 −1
n+1
exactly two divisors, itself and 1, it is prime and x = 2 − 1.
n n+1 m−1 m
Therefore N = 2 (2 − 1) = 2 (2 − 1) where 2m − 1 is prime, the proof is complete.