An Achilles number is a number that is powerful but not a perfect power. A positive integer n is a powerful number if, for every prime divisor or factor p of n, p² is also a divisor. In other words, every prime factor appears squared. All Achilles numbers are powerful. However, not all powerful numbers are Achilles numbers: only those that cannot be represented as m^k, where m and k are positive integers greater than 1. In mathematics, a prime number (or a prime) is a natural number that has exactly two (distinct) natural number divisors, which are 1 and the prime number itself. ... A composite number is a positive integer which has a positive divisor other than one or itself. ... A powerful number is a positive integer m that for every prime number p dividing m, p2 also divides m. ... In mathematics, a square-free, or quadratfrei, integer is one divisible by no perfect square, except 1. ... In mathematics, a perfect number is defined as an integer which is the sum of its proper positive divisors, that is, the sum of the positive divisors not including the number. ... In mathematics, an almost perfect number (sometimes also called slightly defective number) is a natural number n such that the sum of all divisors of n (the divisor function &#963;(n)) is equal to 2n _ 1. ... In mathematics, a quasiperfect number is a natural number n for which the sum of all its divisors (the divisor function &#963;(n)) is equal to 2n + 1. ... In mathematics, a multiply perfect number (also called multiperfect number or pluperfect number) is a generalization of a perfect number. ... In mathematics, a k-hyperperfect number (sometimes just called hyperperfect number) is a natural number n for which the equality n = 1 + k(&#963;(n) &#8722; n &#8722; 1) holds, where &#963;(n) is the divisor function (i. ... A unitary perfect number is an integer which is the sum of its positive proper unitary divisors, not including the number itself. ... In mathematics, a semiperfect number or pseudoperfect number is a natural number n that is equal to the sum of all or some of its proper divisors. ... In mathematics, a primitive semiperfect number (also called a primitive pseudoperfect number, irreducible semiperfect number or irreducible pseudoperfect number) is a natural number that has no semiperfect proper divisor. ... A practical number or panarithmic number is a positive integer n such that all preceding positive integers are a sum of distinct divisors of n. ... In mathematics, an abundant number or excessive number is a number n for which σ(n) > 2n. ... In mathematics, a highly abundant number is a certain kind of natural number. ... In mathematics, a superabundant number (sometimes abbreviated as SA) is a certain kind of natural number. ... In mathematics, a colossally abundant number (sometimes abbreviated as CA) is a certain kind of natural number. ... A highly composite number is a positive integer which has more divisors than any positive integer below it. ... In mathematics, a superior highly composite number is a certain kind of natural number. ... In mathematics, a deficient number or defective number is a number n for which σ(n) < 2n. ... The term weird number also refers to a phenomenon in twos complement arithmetic. ... Amicable numbers are two numbers so related that the sum of the proper divisors of the one is equal to the other, unity being considered as a proper divisor but not the number itself. ... Sociable numbers are generalizations of the concepts of amicable numbers and perfect numbers. ... In mathematics, a sublime number is a positive integer which has a perfect number of positive divisors (including itself), and whose positive divisors add up to another perfect number. ... A harmonic divisor number, or Ore number, is a number whose divisors, averaged in a harmonic mean, results in an integer. ... A frugal number is a natural number that has more digits than the number of digits in its prime factorization (including exponents). ... An equidigital number is a number that has the same number of digits as the number of digits in its prime factorization (including exponents). ... An extravagant number (also known as a wasteful number) is a natural number that has fewer digits than the number of digits in its prime factorization (including exponents). ... Divisor function σ0(n) up to n=250 Sigma function σ1(n) up to n=250 Sum of the squares of divisors, σ2(n), up to n=250 Sum of cubes of divisors, σ3(n) up to n=250 In mathematics, and specifically in number theory, a divisor function is... In mathematics, a divisor of an integer n, also called a factor of n, is an integer which evenly divides n without leaving a remainder. ... In number theory, the prime factors of a positive integer are the prime numbers that divide into that integer exactly, without leaving a remainder. ... In mathematics, factorization or factoring is the decomposition of an object (for example, a number, a polynomial, or a matrix) into a product of other objects, or factors, which when multiplied together give the original. ... A powerful number is a positive integer m that for every prime number p dividing m, p2 also divides m. ... In mathematics, a perfect power is a number that can be expressed as a power of any positive, whole number. ... In mathematics, a divisor of an integer n, also called a factor of n, is an integer which evenly divides n without leaving a remainder. ...

Achilles numbers, put laconically, are powerful but imperfect (as in a not a perfect power) like Achilles, a hero of the Trojan war. The Wrath of Achilles, by François-Léon Benouville (1821–1859) (Musée Fabre) In Greek mythology, Achilles (also Akhilleus or Achilleus) (Ancient Greek: ) was a hero of the Trojan War, the central character and greatest warrior of Homers Iliad, which takes for its theme, not the War... The fall of Troy, by Johann Georg Trautmann (1713–1769). ...

Sequence of Achilles numbers

The Achilles numbers between 1 and 5000 are:

72, 108, 200, 288, 392, 432, 500, 648, 675, 800, 864, 968, 972, 1125, 1152, 1323, 1352, 1372, 1568, 1800, 1944, 2000, 2312, 2592, 2700, 2888, 3087, 3200, 3267, 3456, 3528, 3872, 3888, 4000, 4232, 4500, 4563, 4608, 5000 (sequence A052486 in OEIS)

The On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences (OEIS) is an extensive searchable database of integer sequences, freely available on the Web. ...

Examples

108 is a powerful number. Its prime factorization is , and thus its prime factors are 2 and 3. Both 2² = 4 and 3² = 9 are divisors of 108. However, 108 cannot be represented as m^k, where m and k are positive integers greater than 1, so 108 is an Achilles number. In mathematics, the integer prime-factorization (also known as prime decomposition) problem is this: given a positive integer, write it as a product of prime numbers. ...

Finally, 784 is not an Achilles number. It is a powerful number, because not only are 2 and 7 its only prime factors, but also are 2² = 4 and 7² = 49 divisors of it. Nonetheless, it is a perfect power:

So it is not an Achilles number.

External links

• Achilles Number from MathWorld