Powerful Number - Generalization

Generalization

More generally, we can consider the integers all of whose prime factors have exponents at least k. Such an integer is called a k-powerful number, k-ful number, or k-full number.

(2k+1 − 1)k, 2k(2k+1 − 1)k, (2k+1 − 1)k+1

are k-powerful numbers in an arithmetic progression. Moreover, if a₁, a₂, ..., a_s are k-powerful in an arithmetic progression with common difference d, then

a₁(a_s + d)k,

a₂(a_s + d)k, ..., a_s(a_s + d)k, (a_s + d)k+1

are s + 1 k-powerful numbers in an arithmetic progression.

We have an identity involving k-powerful numbers:

ak(al + ... + 1)k + ak + 1(al + ... + 1)k + ... + ak + l(al + ... + 1)k = ak(al + ... +1)k+1.

This gives infinitely many l+1-tuples of k-powerful numbers whose sum is also k-powerful. Nitaj shows there are infinitely many solutions of x+y=z in relatively prime 3-powerful numbers(Nitaj, 1995). Cohn constructs an infinite family of solutions of x+y=z in relatively prime non-cube 3-powerful numbers as follows: the triplet

X = 9712247684771506604963490444281, Y = 32295800804958334401937923416351, Z = 27474621855216870941749052236511

is a solution of the equation 32X3 + 49Y3 = 81Z3. We can construct another solution by setting X′ = X(49Y3 + 81Z3), Y′ = −Y(32X3 + 81Z3), Z′ = Z(32X3 − 49Y3) and omitting the common divisor.