The Divisibility of Divisor Functions

Abstract

For any positive integers n and v letwhere d runs through all the positive divisors of n. For each positive integer k and real x > 1, denote by N(v, k; x) the number of positive integers n ≦ x for which σv(n) is not divisible by k. Then Watson [6] has shown that, when v is odd,as x → ∞; it is assumed here and throughout that v and k are fixed and independent of x. It follows, in particular, that σ (n) is almost always divisible by k. A brief account of the ideas used by Watson will be found in § 10.6 of Hardy's book on Ramanujan [2].