2n−1*(2n − 1)

In mathematics, a perfect number is defined as a positive integer which is the sum of its proper positive divisors, that is, the sum of the positive divisors excluding the number itself.

The first perfect number is 6, because 1, 2, and 3 are its proper positive divisors, and 1 + 2 + 3 = 6. Equivalently, the number 6 is equal to half the sum of all its positive divisors: ( 1 + 2 + 3 + 6 ) / 2 = 6.

The next perfect number is 28 = 1 + 2 + 4 + 7 + 14. This is followed by the perfect numbers 496 and 8128.

Euclid discovered that the first four perfect numbers are generated by the formula 2ⁿ⁻¹(2ⁿ − 1):

for n = 2: 2¹(2² − 1) = 6

for n = 3: 2²(2³ − 1) = 28

for n = 5: 2⁴(2⁵ − 1) = 496

for n = 7: 2⁶(2⁷ − 1) = 8128.

The first 39 even perfect numbers are 2ⁿ⁻¹(2ⁿ − 1) for n = 2, 3, 5, 7, 13, 17, 19, 31, 61, 89, 107, 127, 521, 607, 1279, 2203, 2281, 3217, 4253, 4423, 9689, 9941, 11213, 19937, 21701, 23209, 44497, 86243, 110503, 132049, 216091, 756839, 859433, 1257787, 1398269, 2976221, 3021377, 6972593, 13466917.