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Viewing Version 2 of '$\tau$ function'
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Title of object: $\tau$ function
Canonical Name: TauFunction
Type: Definition

Created on: 2003-03-10 02:09:51.110695-05
Modified on: 2003-03-10 02:23:26.340681-05

Creator: Wkbj79
Modifier: Wkbj79
Author: Wkbj79

Classification: msc:11Z05

Preamble:

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Content:

The $\tau$ function takes positive integers as its input and gives the number of positive divisors of its input as its output. For example, since 1, 2, and 4 are all of the positive divisors of 4, then $\tau (4)=3$.
The $\tau$ function behaves according to the following two rules:
1. If $p$ is a prime and $x$ is a nonnegative integer, then $\tau (p^x) = x+1$.
2. If $GCD(a,b)=1$, then $\tau(ab)=\tau(a)\tau(b)$.