Exercise 2.9

A function on the integers is said to be multiplicative if f ( ab ) = f ( a ) f ( b ) . whenever ( a , b ) = 1 . Show that a multiplicative function is completely determined by its value on prime powers.

Answers

Proof. Let the decomposition of n in prime factors be n = p 1 k 1 ⋯ p t k t , p 1 < ⋯ < p t . As p i k i ∧ p j k j = 1 for i ≠ j , i , j = 1 , … , t ,

f ( n ) = f ( p 1 k 1 ⋯ p t k t ) = f ( p 1 k 1 ) ⋯ f ( p t k t )

(by induction on the number of prime factors.)

So f ( n ) is completely determined by its value on prime powers. □

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2022-07-19 00:00
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