Achilles number

Numbers with special prime factorization

An Achilles number is a number that is powerful but not a perfect power.^[1] A positive integer n is a powerful number if, for every prime factor p of n, p² is also a divisor. In other words, every prime factor appears at least squared in the factorization. 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.

Achilles numbers were named by Henry Bottomley after Achilles, a hero of the Trojan war, who was also powerful but imperfect. Strong Achilles numbers are Achilles numbers whose Euler totients are also Achilles numbers; the smallest are 500 and 864.^[2]

Sequence of Achilles numbers

A number n = p₁^a₁p₂^a₂…p_k^a_k is powerful if min(a₁, a₂, …, a_k) ≥ 2. If in addition gcd(a₁, a₂, …, a_k) = 1 the number is an Achilles number.

The Achilles numbers up to 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 the OEIS).

The smallest pair of consecutive Achilles numbers is:^[3]

5425069447 = 7³ × 41² × 97²

5425069448 = 2³ × 26041²

Examples

As an example, 108 is a powerful number. Its prime factorization is 2² · 3³, 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.

The integer 360 is not an Achilles number because it is not powerful. One of its prime factors is 5 but 360 is not divisible by 5² = 25.

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 2² = 4 and 7² = 49 are divisors of it. It is a perfect power:

784=2^{4}\cdot 7^{2}=(2^{2})^{2}\cdot 7^{2}=(2^{2}\cdot 7)^{2}=28^{2}.\,

So it is not an Achilles number.

The integer 500 = 2² × 5³ is a strong Achilles number as its Euler totient of 200 = 2³ × 5² is also an Achilles number.

References

^ Weisstein, Eric W. "Achilles Number". MathWorld.
^ "Problem 302 - Project Euler". projecteuler.net.
^ Carlos Rivera, The Prime Puzzles and Problem Connection, Problem 53

Divisibility-based sets of integers

Overview

Integer factorization
Divisor
Unitary divisor
Divisor function
Prime factor
Fundamental theorem of arithmetic

Factorization forms

Constrained divisor sums

With many divisors

Aliquot sequence-related

Base-dependent

Other sets

Classes of natural numbers

Powers and related numbers
Achilles Power of 2 Power of 3 Power of 10 Square Cube Fourth power Fifth power Sixth power Seventh power Eighth power Perfect power Powerful Prime power

Of the form a × 2^b ± 1
Cullen Double Mersenne Fermat Mersenne Proth Thabit Woodall

Other polynomial numbers
Hilbert Idoneal Leyland Loeschian Lucky numbers of Euler

Recursively defined numbers
Fibonacci Jacobsthal Leonardo Lucas Narayana Padovan Pell Perrin

Possessing a specific set of other numbers
Amenable Congruent Knödel Riesel Sierpiński

Expressible via specific sums
Nonhypotenuse Polite Practical Primary pseudoperfect Ulam Wolstenholme

Figurate numbers

2-dimensional

centered	Centered triangular Centered square Centered pentagonal Centered hexagonal Centered heptagonal Centered octagonal Centered nonagonal Centered decagonal Star
non-centered	Triangular Square Square triangular Pentagonal Hexagonal Heptagonal Octagonal Nonagonal Decagonal Dodecagonal

3-dimensional

centered	Centered tetrahedral Centered cube Centered octahedral Centered dodecahedral Centered icosahedral
non-centered	Tetrahedral Cubic Octahedral Dodecahedral Icosahedral Stella octangula
pyramidal	Square pyramidal

4-dimensional

non-centered	Pentatope Squared triangular Tesseractic

Combinatorial numbers
Bell Cake Catalan Dedekind Delannoy Euler Eulerian Fuss–Catalan Lah Lazy caterer's sequence Lobb Motzkin Narayana Ordered Bell Schröder Schröder–Hipparchus Stirling first Stirling second Telephone number Wedderburn–Etherington

Primes
Wieferich Wall–Sun–Sun Wolstenholme prime Wilson

Pseudoprimes
Carmichael number Catalan pseudoprime Elliptic pseudoprime Euler pseudoprime Euler–Jacobi pseudoprime Fermat pseudoprime Frobenius pseudoprime Lucas pseudoprime Lucas–Carmichael number Perrin pseudoprime Somer–Lucas pseudoprime Strong pseudoprime

Arithmetic functions and dynamics

Divisor functions	Abundant Almost perfect Arithmetic Betrothed Colossally abundant Deficient Descartes Hemiperfect Highly abundant Highly composite Hyperperfect Multiply perfect Perfect Practical Primitive abundant Quasiperfect Refactorable Semiperfect Sublime Superabundant Superior highly composite Superperfect
Prime omega functions	Almost prime Semiprime
Euler's totient function	Highly cototient Highly totient Noncototient Nontotient Perfect totient Sparsely totient
Aliquot sequences	Amicable Perfect Sociable Untouchable
Primorial	Euclid Fortunate

Other prime factor or divisor related numbers
Blum Cyclic Erdős–Nicolas Erdős–Woods Friendly Giuga Harmonic divisor Jordan–Pólya Lucas–Carmichael Pronic Regular Rough Smooth Sphenic Størmer Super-Poulet Zeisel

Numeral system-dependent numbers

Arithmetic functions
and dynamics

Persistence
- Additive
- Multiplicative

Digit sum	Digit sum Digital root Self Sum-product
Digit product	Multiplicative digital root Sum-product
Coding-related	Meertens
Other	Dudeney Factorion Kaprekar Kaprekar's constant Keith Lychrel Narcissistic Perfect digit-to-digit invariant Perfect digital invariant Happy