# Math Help - positive divisor

1. ## positive divisor

Let n = 2^31 3^19. How many positive divisors of n^2 are less than n but
do not divide n?

2. Originally Posted by rcs
Let n = 2^31 3^19. How many positive divisors of n^2 are less than n but
do not divide n?

Lemma: if $n=p_1^{a_1}\cdot\ldots\cdot p_k^{a_k}$ is the prime decomposition of a natural number $n$, then the number of positive divisors of n is $\prod\limits_{i=1}^k(a_i+1)$

Well, now apply the above both to $n\,\,and\,\,n^2$ and do some maths...

Tonio

3. Originally Posted by rcs
Let $n = 2^{31}\cdot 3^{19}$. How many positive divisors of $n^2$ are less than $n$ but
do not divide $n$?
A divisor of $n^2$ must be of the form $2^p\cdot3^q$, with $0\leqslant p\leqslant 62$ and $0\leqslant q\leqslant 38$. If it does not divide $n$ then either $p>31$ or $q>19$.

Now comes the tricky part. The remaining condition is that $2^p\cdot3^q < n$. I suggest that you investigate this by choosing a random value of p between 31 and 62, say p=45, and looking at how many values of q satisfy the condition $2^{45}\cdot 3^q <2^{31}\cdot 3^{19}$. [Hint: take logs.] That may possibly give you some insight into how to tackle the problem in general.

4. it is said that the answer is 589 but i dont know how it is reached to this.

5. This question has already been discussed, but I have not tried to find a more elegant solution.