A000396 -id:A000396 - cp's OEIS frontend

A000203 a(n) = sigma(n), the sum of the divisors of n. Also called sigma_1(n).

1, 3, 4, 7, 6, 12, 8, 15, 13, 18, 12, 28, 14, 24, 24, 31, 18, 39, 20, 42, 32, 36, 24, 60, 31, 42, 40, 56, 30, 72, 32, 63, 48, 54, 48, 91, 38, 60, 56, 90, 42, 96, 44, 84, 78, 72, 48, 124, 57, 93, 72, 98, 54, 120, 72, 120, 80, 90, 60, 168, 62, 96, 104, 127, 84, 144, 68, 126, 96, 144

Offset: 1

N. J. A. Sloane

Multiplicative: If the canonical factorization of n into prime powers is the product of p^e(p) then sigma_k(n) = Product_p ((p^((e(p)+1)*k))-1)/(p^k-1).
Sum_{d|n} 1/d^k is equal to sigma_k(n)/n^k. So sequences A017665-A017712 also give the numerators and denominators of sigma_k(n)/n^k for k = 1..24. The power sums sigma_k(n) are in sequences A000203 (this sequence) (k=1), A001157-A001160 (k=2,3,4,5), A013954-A013972 for k = 6,7,...,24. - Ahmed Fares (ahmedfares(AT)my-deja.com), Apr 05 2001
A number n is abundant if sigma(n) > 2n (cf. A005101), perfect if sigma(n) = 2n (cf. A000396), deficient if sigma(n) < 2n (cf. A005100).
a(n) is the number of sublattices of index n in a generic 2-dimensional lattice. - Avi Peretz (njk(AT)netvision.net.il), Jan 29 2001 [In the language of group theory, a(n) is the number of index-n subgroups of Z x Z. - Jianing Song, Nov 05 2022]
The sublattices of index n are in one-to-one correspondence with matrices [a b; 0 d] with a>0, ad=n, b in [0..d-1]. The number of these is Sum_{d|n} d = sigma(n), which is a(n). A sublattice is primitive if gcd(a,b,d) = 1; the number of these is n * Product_{p|n} (1+1/p), which is A001615. [Cf. Grady reference.]
Sum of number of common divisors of n and m, where m runs from 1 to n. - Naohiro Nomoto, Jan 10 2004
a(n) is the cardinality of all extensions over Q_p with degree n in the algebraic closure of Q_p, where p>n. - Volker Schmitt (clamsi(AT)gmx.net), Nov 24 2004. Cf. A100976, A100977, A100978 (p-adic extensions).
Let s(n) = a(n-1) + a(n-2) - a(n-5) - a(n-7) + a(n-12) + a(n-15) - a(n-22) - a(n-26) + ..., then a(n) = s(n) if n is not pentagonal, i.e., n != (3 j^2 +- j)/2 (cf. A001318), and a(n) is instead s(n) - ((-1)^j)*n if n is pentagonal. - Gary W. Adamson, Oct 05 2008 [corrected Apr 27 2012 by William J. Keith based on Ewell and by Andrey Zabolotskiy, Apr 08 2022]
Write n as 2^k * d, where d is odd. Then a(n) is odd if and only if d is a square. - Jon Perry, Nov 08 2012
Also total number of parts in the partitions of n into equal parts. - Omar E. Pol, Jan 16 2013
Note that sigma(3^4) = 11^2. On the other hand, Kanold (1947) shows that the equation sigma(q^(p-1)) = b^p has no solutions b > 2, q prime, p odd prime. - N. J. A. Sloane, Dec 21 2013, based on postings to the Number Theory Mailing List by Vladimir Letsko and Luis H. Gallardo
Limit_{m->infinity} (Sum_{n=1..prime(m)} a(n)) / prime(m)^2 = zeta(2)/2 = Pi^2/12 (A072691). See more at A244583. - Richard R. Forberg, Jan 04 2015
a(n) + A000005(n) is an odd number iff n = 2m^2, m>=1. - Richard R. Forberg, Jan 15 2015
a(n) = a(n+1) for n = 14, 206, 957, 1334, 1364 (A002961). - Zak Seidov, May 03 2016
Equivalent to the Riemann hypothesis: a(n) < H(n) + exp(H(n))*log(H(n)), for all n>1, where H(n) is the n-th harmonic number (Jeffrey Lagarias). See A057641 for more details. - Ilya Gutkovskiy, Jul 05 2016
a(n) is the total number of even parts in the partitions of 2*n into equal parts. More generally, a(n) is the total number of parts congruent to 0 mod k in the partitions of k*n into equal parts (the comment dated Jan 16 2013 is the case for k = 1). - Omar E. Pol, Nov 18 2019
From Jianing Song, Nov 05 2022: (Start)
a(n) is also the number of order-n subgroups of C_n X C_n, where C_n is the cyclic group of order n. Proof: by the correspondence theorem in the group theory, there is a one-to-one correspondence between the order-n subgroups of C_n X C_n = (Z x Z)/(nZ x nZ) and the index-n subgroups of Z x Z containing nZ x nZ. But an index-n normal subgroup of a (multiplicative) group G contains {g^n : n in G} automatically. The desired result follows from the comment from Naohiro Nomoto above.
The number of subgroups of C_n X C_n that are isomorphic to C_n is A001615(n). (End)

			For example, 6 is divisible by 1, 2, 3 and 6, so sigma(6) = 1 + 2 + 3 + 6 = 12.
Let L = <V,W> be a 2-dimensional lattice. The 7 sublattices of index 4 are generated by <4V,W>, <V,4W>, <4V,W+-V>, <2V,2W>, <2V+W,2W>, <2V,2W+V>. Compare A001615.

M. Abramowitz and I. A. Stegun, eds., Handbook of Mathematical Functions, National Bureau of Standards Applied Math. Series 55, 1964 (and various reprintings), p. 840.
T. M. Apostol, Introduction to Analytic Number Theory, Springer-Verlag, 1976, page 38.
A. T. Benjamin and J. J. Quinn, Proofs that really count: the art of combinatorial proof, M.A.A. 2003, p. 116ff.
Florian Cajori, A History of Mathematical Notations, Dover edition (2012), par. 407.
L. Comtet, Advanced Combinatorics, Reidel, 1974, p. 162, #16, (6), 2nd formula.
G. H. Hardy, Ramanujan: twelve lectures on subjects suggested by his life and work, AMS Chelsea Publishing, Providence, Rhode Island, 2002, pp. 141, 166.
H. Hardy and E. M. Wright, An Introduction to the Theory of Numbers, Fifth Edition, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 2003.
Ross Honsberger, "Mathematical Gems, Number One," The Dolciani Mathematical Expositions, Published and Distributed by The Mathematical Association of America, page 116.
Kanold, Hans Joachim, Kreisteilungspolynome und ungerade vollkommene Zahlen. (German), Ber. Math.-Tagung Tübingen 1946, (1947). pp. 84-87.
M. Krasner, Le nombre des surcorps primitifs d'un degré donné et le nombre des surcorps métagaloisiens d'un degré donné d'un corps de nombres p-adiques. Comptes Rendus Hebdomadaires, Académie des Sciences, Paris 254, 255, 1962.
A. Lubotzky, Counting subgroups of finite index, Proceedings of the St. Andrews/Galway 93 group theory meeting, Th. 2.1. LMS Lecture Notes Series no. 212 Cambridge University Press 1995.
D. S. Mitrinovic et al., Handbook of Number Theory, Kluwer, Section III.1, page 77.
G. Pólya, Induction and Analogy in Mathematics, vol. 1 of Mathematics and Plausible Reasoning, Princeton Univ Press 1954, page 92.
N. J. A. Sloane, A Handbook of Integer Sequences, Academic Press, 1973 (includes this sequence).
N. J. A. Sloane and Simon Plouffe, The Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences, Academic Press, 1995 (includes this sequence).
James J. Tattersall, Elementary Number Theory in Nine Chapters, Cambridge University Press, 1999, pages 91, 395.
Robert M. Young, Excursions in Calculus, The Mathematical Association of America, 1992 p. 361.

Daniel Forgues, Table of n, a(n) for n = 1..100000 (first 20000 terms from N. J. A. Sloane)
M. Abramowitz and I. A. Stegun, eds., Handbook of Mathematical Functions, National Bureau of Standards, Applied Math. Series 55, Tenth Printing, 1972 [alternative scanned copy].
B. Apostol and L. Petrescu, Extremal Orders of Certain Functions Associated with Regular Integers (mod n), Journal of Integer Sequences, 2013, # 13.7.5.
Joerg Arndt, On computing the generalized Lambert series, arXiv:1202.6525v3 [math.CA], (2012).
M. Baake and U. Grimm, Quasicrystalline combinatorics
Henry Bottomley, Illustration of initial terms
C. K. Caldwell, The Prime Glossary, sigma function
Imanuel Chen and Michael Z. Spivey, Integral Generalized Binomial Coefficients of Multiplicative Functions, Preprint 2015; Summer Research Paper 238, Univ. Puget Sound.
D. Christopher and T. Nadu, Partitions with Fixed Number of Sizes, Journal of Integer Sequences, 15 (2015), #15.11.5.
J. N. Cooper and A. W. N. Riasanovsky, On the Reciprocal of the Binary Generating Function for the Sum of Divisors, 2012. - _N. J. A. Sloane_, Dec 25 2012
R. L. Duncan, Note on the Divisors of a Number, The American Mathematical Monthly, 68(4), 356-359, (1961).
Jason Earls, The Smarandache sum of composites between factors function, in Smarandache Notions Journal (2004), Vol. 14.1, page 243.
L. Euler, Discovery of a most extraordinary law of numbers, relating to the sum of their divisors
L. Euler, Observatio de summis divisorum
L. Euler, An observation on the sums of divisors, arXiv:math/0411587 [math.HO], 2004-2009.
J. A. Ewell, Recurrences for the sum of divisors, Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 64 (2) 1977.
Farideh Firoozbakht and M. F. Hasler, Variations on Euclid's formula for Perfect Numbers, JIS 13 (2010) #10.3.1.
Daniele A. Gewurz and Francesca Merola, Sequences realized as Parker vectors ..., J. Integer Seqs., Vol. 6, 2003.
Johan Gielis and Ilia Tavkhelidze, The general case of cutting of GML surfaces and bodies, arXiv:1904.01414 [math.GM], 2019.
J. W. L. Glaisher, On the function chi(n), Quarterly Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics, 20 (1884), 97-167.
J. W. L. Glaisher, On the function chi(n), Quarterly Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics, 20 (1884), 97-167. [Annotated scanned copy]
M. J. Grady, A group theoretic approach to a famous partition formula, Amer. Math. Monthly, 112 (No. 7, 2005), 645-651.
Masazumi Honda and Takuya Yoda, String theory, N = 4 SYM and Riemann hypothesis, arXiv:2203.17091 [hep-th], 2022.
Douglas E. Iannucci, On sums of the small divisors of a natural number, arXiv:1910.11835 [math.NT], 2019.
Antti Karttunen, Scheme program for computing this sequence.
P. A. MacMahon, Divisors of numbers and their continuations in the theory of partitions, Proc. London Math. Soc., 19 (1921), 75-113.
M. Maia and M. Mendez, On the arithmetic product of combinatorial species, arXiv:math.CO/0503436, 2005.
K. Matthews, Factorizing n and calculating phi(n),omega(n),d(n),sigma(n) and mu(n)
Walter Nissen, Abundancy : Some Resources
P. Pollack and C. Pomerance, Some problems of Erdős on the sum-of-divisors function, For Richard Guy on his 99th birthday: May his sequence be unbounded, Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. Ser. B 3 (2016), 1-26; errata.
Carl Pomerance and Hee-Sung Yang, Variant of a theorem of Erdős on the sum-of-proper-divisors function, Math. Comp. 83 (2014), 1903-1913.
John S. Rutherford, The enumeration and symmetry-significant properties of derivative lattices, Act. Cryst. (1992) A48, 500-508. - _N. J. A. Sloane_, Mar 14 2009
John S. Rutherford, The enumeration and symmetry-significant properties of derivative lattices II, Acta Cryst. A49 (1993), 293-300. - _N. J. A. Sloane_, Mar 14 2009
John S. Rutherford, Sublattice enumeration. IV. Equivalence classes of plane sublattices by parent Patterson symmetry and colour lattice group type, Acta Cryst. (2009). A65, 156-163. [See Table 1]. - _N. J. A. Sloane_, Feb 23 2009
N. J. A. Sloane, "A Handbook of Integer Sequences" Fifty Years Later, arXiv:2301.03149 [math.NT], 2023, p. 3.
Eric Weisstein's World of Mathematics, Divisor Function
Wikipedia, Divisor function
Index entries for sequences related to sublattices
Index entries for sequences related to sigma(n)
Index entries for "core" sequences

See A034885, A002093 for records. Bisections give A008438, A062731. Values taken are listed in A007609. A054973 is an inverse function.
For partial sums see A024916.
Row sums of A127093.
sigma_i (i=0..25): A000005, A000203, A001157, A001158, A001159, A001160, A013954, A013955, A013956, A013957, A013958, A013959, A013960, A013961, A013962, A013963, A013964, A013965, A013966, A013967, A013968, A013969, A013970, A013971, A013972, A281959.
Cf. A144736, A158951, A158902, A174740, A147843, A001158, A001160, A001065, A002192, A001001, A001615 (primitive sublattices), A039653, A088580, A074400, A083728, A006352, A002659, A083238, A000593, A050449, A050452, A051731, A027748, A124010, A069192, A057641, A001318.
Cf. A009194, A082062 (gcd(a(n),n) and its largest prime factor), A179931, A192795 (gcd(a(n),A001157(n)) and largest prime factor).
Cf. also A034448 (sum of unitary divisors).
Cf. A007955 (products of divisors).
Cf. A144613, A144614, A144615, A146076.
A001227, A000593 and this sequence have the same parity: A053866. - Omar E. Pol, May 14 2016
Cf. A001221, A054533.

A000203:=List([1..10^2],n->Sigma(n)); # Muniru A Asiru, Oct 01 2017

a000203 n = product $ zipWith (\p e -> (p^(e+1)-1) `div` (p-1)) (a027748_row n) (a124010_row n)
-- Reinhard Zumkeller, May 07 2012

Magma
```
[SumOfDivisors(n): n in [1..70]];
```

[DivisorSigma(1,n): n in [1..70]]; // Bruno Berselli, Sep 09 2015

with(numtheory): A000203 := n->sigma(n); seq(A000203(n), n=1..100);

Table[ DivisorSigma[1, n], {n, 100}]
a[ n_] := SeriesCoefficient[ QPolyGamma[ 1, 1, q] / Log[q]^2, {q, 0, n}]; (* Michael Somos, Apr 25 2013 *)

makelist(divsum(n),n,1,1000); /* Emanuele Munarini, Mar 26 2011 */

numlib::sigma(n)$ n=1..81 // Zerinvary Lajos, May 13 2008

PARI
```
{a(n) = if( n<1, 0, sigma(n))};
```

{a(n) = if( n<1, 0, direuler( p=2, n, 1 / (1 - X) /(1 - p*X))[n])};

{a(n) = if( n<1, 0, polcoeff( sum( k=1, n, x^k / (1 - x^k)^2, x * O(x^n)), n))}; /* Michael Somos, Jan 29 2005 */

max_n = 30; ser = - sum(k=1,max_n,log(1-x^k)); a(n) = polcoeff(ser,n)*n \\ Gottfried Helms, Aug 10 2009

from sympy import divisor_sigma
def a(n): return divisor_sigma(n, 1)
print([a(n) for n in range(1, 71)]) # Michael S. Branicky, Jan 03 2021

from math import prod
from sympy import factorint
def a(n): return prod((p**(e+1)-1)//(p-1) for p, e in factorint(n).items())
print([a(n) for n in range(1, 51)]) # Michael S. Branicky, Feb 25 2024
(APL, Dyalog dialect) A000203 ← +/{ð←⍵{(0=⍵|⍺)/⍵}⍳⌊⍵*÷2 ⋄ 1=⍵:ð ⋄ ð,(⍵∘÷)¨(⍵=(⌊⍵*÷2)*2)↓⌽ð} ⍝ Antti Karttunen, Feb 20 2024

[sigma(n, 1) for n in range(1, 71)]  # Zerinvary Lajos, Jun 04 2009

(definec (A000203 n) (if (= 1 n) n (let ((p (A020639 n)) (e (A067029 n))) (* (/ (- (expt p (+ 1 e)) 1) (- p 1)) (A000203 (A028234 n)))))) ;; Uses macro definec from http://oeis.org/wiki/Memoization#Scheme - Antti Karttunen, Nov 25 2017

(define (A000203 n) (let ((r (sqrt n))) (let loop ((i (inexact->exact (floor r))) (s (if (integer? r) (- r) 0))) (cond ((zero? i) s) ((zero? (modulo n i)) (loop (- i 1) (+ s i (/ n i)))) (else (loop (- i 1) s)))))) ;; (Stand-alone program) - Antti Karttunen, Feb 20 2024

Multiplicative with a(p^e) = (p^(e+1)-1)/(p-1). - David W. Wilson, Aug 01 2001
For the following bounds and many others, see Mitrinovic et al. - N. J. A. Sloane, Oct 02 2017
If n is composite, a(n) > n + sqrt(n).
a(n) < n*sqrt(n) for all n.
a(n) < (6/Pi^2)*n^(3/2) for n > 12.
G.f.: -x*deriv(eta(x))/eta(x) where eta(x) = Product_{n>=1} (1-x^n). - Joerg Arndt, Mar 14 2010
L.g.f.: -log(Product_{j>=1} (1-x^j)) = Sum_{n>=1} a(n)/n*x^n. - Joerg Arndt, Feb 04 2011
Dirichlet convolution of phi(n) and tau(n), i.e., a(n) = sum_{d|n} phi(n/d)*tau(d), cf. A000010, A000005.
a(n) is odd iff n is a square or twice a square. - Robert G. Wilson v, Oct 03 2001
a(n) = a(n*prime(n)) - prime(n)*a(n). - Labos Elemer, Aug 14 2003 (Clarified by Omar E. Pol, Apr 27 2016)
a(n) = n*A000041(n) - Sum_{i=1..n-1} a(i)*A000041(n-i). - Jon Perry, Sep 11 2003
a(n) = -A010815(n)*n - Sum_{k=1..n-1} A010815(k)*a(n-k). - Reinhard Zumkeller, Nov 30 2003
a(n) = f(n, 1, 1, 1), where f(n, i, x, s) = if n = 1 then s*x else if p(i)|n then f(n/p(i), i, 1+p(i)*x, s) else f(n, i+1, 1, s*x) with p(i) = i-th prime (A000040). - Reinhard Zumkeller, Nov 17 2004
Recurrence: n^2*(n-1)*a(n) = 12*Sum_{k=1..n-1} (5*k*(n-k) - n^2)*a(k)*a(n-k), if n>1. - Dominique Giard (dominique.giard(AT)gmail.com), Jan 11 2005
G.f.: Sum_{k>0} k * x^k / (1 - x^k) = Sum_{k>0} x^k / (1 - x^k)^2. Dirichlet g.f.: zeta(s)*zeta(s-1). - Michael Somos, Apr 05 2003. See the Hardy-Wright reference, p. 312. first equation, and p. 250, Theorem 290. - Wolfdieter Lang, Dec 09 2016
For odd n, a(n) = A000593(n). For even n, a(n) = A000593(n) + A074400(n/2). - Jonathan Vos Post, Mar 26 2006
Equals the inverse Moebius transform of the natural numbers. Equals row sums of A127093. - Gary W. Adamson, May 20 2007
A127093 * [1/1, 1/2, 1/3, ...] = [1/1, 3/2, 4/3, 7/4, 6/5, 12/6, 8/7, ...]. Row sums of triangle A135539. - Gary W. Adamson, Oct 31 2007
a(n) = A054785(2*n) - A000593(2*n). - Reinhard Zumkeller, Apr 23 2008
a(n) = n*Sum_{k=1..n} A060642(n,k)/k*(-1)^(k+1). - Vladimir Kruchinin, Aug 10 2010
Dirichlet convolution of A037213 and A034448. - R. J. Mathar, Apr 13 2011
G.f.: A(x) = x/(1-x)*(1 - 2*x*(1-x)/(G(0) - 2*x^2 + 2*x)); G(k) = -2*x - 1 - (1+x)*k + (2*k+3)*(x^(k+2)) - x*(k+1)*(k+3)*((-1 + (x^(k+2)))^2)/G(k+1); (continued fraction). - Sergei N. Gladkovskii, Dec 06 2011
a(n) = A001065(n) + n. - Mats Granvik, May 20 2012
a(n) = A006128(n) - A220477(n). - Omar E. Pol, Jan 17 2013
a(n) = Sum_{k=1..A003056(n)} (-1)^(k-1)*A196020(n,k). - conjectured by Omar E. Pol, Feb 02 2013, and proved by Max Alekseyev, Nov 17 2013
a(n) = Sum_{k=1..A003056(n)} (-1)^(k-1)*A000330(k)*A000716(n-A000217(k)). - Mircea Merca, Mar 05 2014
a(n) = A240698(n, A000005(n)). - Reinhard Zumkeller, Apr 10 2014
a(n) = Sum_{d^2|n} A001615(n/d^2) = Sum_{d^3|n} A254981(n/d^3). - Álvar Ibeas, Mar 06 2015
a(3*n) = A144613(n). a(3*n + 1) = A144614(n). a(3*n + 2) = A144615(n). - Michael Somos, Jul 19 2015
a(n) = Sum{i=1..n} Sum{j=1..i} cos((2*Pi*n*j)/i). - Michel Lagneau, Oct 14 2015
a(n) = A000593(n) + A146076(n). - Omar E. Pol, Apr 05 2016
a(n) = A065475(n) + A048050(n). - Omar E. Pol, Nov 28 2016
a(n) = (Pi^2*n/6)*Sum_{q>=1} c_q(n)/q^2, with the Ramanujan sums c_q(n) given in A054533 as a c_n(k) table. See the Hardy reference, p. 141, or Hardy-Wright, Theorem 293, p. 251. - Wolfdieter Lang, Jan 06 2017
G.f. also (1 - E_2(q))/24, with the g.f. E_2 of A006352. See e.g., Hardy, p. 166, eq. (10.5.5). - Wolfdieter Lang, Jan 31 2017
From Antti Karttunen, Nov 25 2017: (Start)
a(n) = A048250(n) + A162296(n).
a(n) = A092261(n) * A295294(n). [This can be further expanded, see comment in A291750.] (End)
a(n) = A000593(n) * A038712(n). - Ivan N. Ianakiev and Omar E. Pol, Nov 26 2017
a(n) = Sum_{q=1..n} c_q(n) * floor(n/q), where c_q(n) is the Ramanujan's sum function given in A054533. - Daniel Suteu, Jun 14 2018
a(n) = Sum_{k=1..n} gcd(n, k) / phi(n / gcd(n, k)), where phi(k) is the Euler totient function. - Daniel Suteu, Jun 21 2018
a(n) = (2^(1 + (A000005(n) - A001227(n))/(A000005(n) - A183063(n))) - 1)*A000593(n) = (2^(1 + (A183063(n)/A001227(n))) - 1)*A000593(n). - Omar E. Pol, Nov 03 2018
a(n) = Sum_{i=1..n} tau(gcd(n, i)). - Ridouane Oudra, Oct 15 2019
From Peter Bala, Jan 19 2021: (Start)
G.f.: A(x) = Sum_{n >= 1} x^(n^2)*(x^n + n*(1 - x^(2*n)))/(1 - x^n)^2 - differentiate equation 5 in Arndt w.r.t. x, and set x = 1.
A(x) = F(x) + G(x), where F(x) is the g.f. of A079667 and G(x) is the g.f. of A117004. (End)
a(n) = Sum_{k=1..n} tau(n/gcd(n,k))*phi(gcd(n,k))/phi(n/gcd(n,k)). - Richard L. Ollerton, May 07 2021
With the convention that a(n) = 0 for n <= 0 we have the recurrence a(n) = t(n) + Sum_{k >= 1} (-1)^(k+1)*(2*k + 1)*a(n - k*(k + 1)/2), where t(n) = (-1)^(m+1)*(2*m+1)*n/3 if n = m*(m + 1)/2, with m positive, is a triangular number else t(n) = 0. For example, n = 10 = (4*5)/2 is a triangular number, t(10) = -30, and so a(10) = -30 + 3*a(9) - 5*a(7) + 7*a(4) = -30 + 39 - 40 + 49 = 18. - Peter Bala, Apr 06 2022
Recurrence: a(p^x) = p*a(p^(x-1)) + 1, if p is prime and for any integer x. E.g., a(5^3) = 5*a(5^2) + 1 = 5*31 + 1 = 156. - Jules Beauchamp, Nov 11 2022
Sum_{n>=1} a(n)/exp(2*Pi*n) = 1/24 - 1/(8*Pi) = A319462. - Vaclav Kotesovec, May 07 2023
a(n) < (7n*A001221(n) + 10*n)/6 [Duncan, 1961] (see Duncan and Tattersall). - Stefano Spezia, Jul 13 2025

A000217 Triangular numbers: a(n) = binomial(n+1,2) = n*(n+1)/2 = 0 + 1 + 2 + ... + n.

Original entry on oeis.org

0, 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, 21, 28, 36, 45, 55, 66, 78, 91, 105, 120, 136, 153, 171, 190, 210, 231, 253, 276, 300, 325, 351, 378, 406, 435, 465, 496, 528, 561, 595, 630, 666, 703, 741, 780, 820, 861, 903, 946, 990, 1035, 1081, 1128, 1176, 1225, 1275, 1326, 1378, 1431

Offset: 0

N. J. A. Sloane

Also referred to as T(n) or C(n+1, 2) or binomial(n+1, 2) (preferred).
Also generalized hexagonal numbers: n*(2*n-1), n=0, +-1, +-2, +-3, ... Generalized k-gonal numbers are second k-gonal numbers and positive terms of k-gonal numbers interleaved, k >= 5. In this case k = 6. - Omar E. Pol, Sep 13 2011 and Aug 04 2012
Number of edges in complete graph of order n+1, K_{n+1}.
Number of legal ways to insert a pair of parentheses in a string of n letters. E.g., there are 6 ways for three letters: (a)bc, (ab)c, (abc), a(b)c, a(bc), ab(c). Proof: there are C(n+2,2) ways to choose where the parentheses might go, but n + 1 of them are illegal because the parentheses are adjacent. Cf. A002415.
For n >= 1, a(n) is also the genus of a nonsingular curve of degree n+2, such as the Fermat curve x^(n+2) + y^(n+2) = 1. - Ahmed Fares (ahmedfares(AT)my_deja.com), Feb 21 2001
From Harnack's theorem (1876), the number of branches of a nonsingular curve of order n is bounded by a(n-1)+1, and the bound can be achieved. See also A152947. - Benoit Cloitre, Aug 29 2002. Corrected by Robert McLachlan, Aug 19 2024
Number of tiles in the set of double-n dominoes. - Scott A. Brown, Sep 24 2002
Number of ways a chain of n non-identical links can be broken up. This is based on a similar problem in the field of proteomics: the number of ways a peptide of n amino acid residues can be broken up in a mass spectrometer. In general, each amino acid has a different mass, so AB and BC would have different masses. - James A. Raymond, Apr 08 2003
Triangular numbers - odd numbers = shifted triangular numbers; 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, 21, ... - 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, ... = 0, 0, 1, 3, 6, 10, ... - Xavier Acloque, Oct 31 2003 [Corrected by Derek Orr, May 05 2015]
Centered polygonal numbers are the result of [number of sides * A000217 + 1]. E.g., centered pentagonal numbers (1,6,16,31,...) = 5 * (0,1,3,6,...) + 1. Centered heptagonal numbers (1,8,22,43,...) = 7 * (0,1,3,6,...) + 1. - Xavier Acloque, Oct 31 2003
Maximum number of lines formed by the intersection of n+1 planes. - Ron R. King, Mar 29 2004
Number of permutations of [n] which avoid the pattern 132 and have exactly 1 descent. - Mike Zabrocki, Aug 26 2004
Number of ternary words of length n-1 with subwords (0,1), (0,2) and (1,2) not allowed. - Olivier Gérard, Aug 28 2012
Number of ways two different numbers can be selected from the set {0,1,2,...,n} without repetition, or, number of ways two different numbers can be selected from the set {1,2,...,n} with repetition.
Conjecturally, 1, 6, 120 are the only numbers that are both triangular and factorial. - Christopher M. Tomaszewski (cmt1288(AT)comcast.net), Mar 30 2005
Binomial transform is {0, 1, 5, 18, 56, 160, 432, ...}, A001793 with one leading zero. - Philippe Deléham, Aug 02 2005
Each pair of neighboring terms adds to a perfect square. - Zak Seidov, Mar 21 2006
Number of transpositions in the symmetric group of n+1 letters, i.e., the number of permutations that leave all but two elements fixed. - Geoffrey Critzer, Jun 23 2006
With rho(n):=exp(i*2*Pi/n) (an n-th root of 1) one has, for n >= 1, rho(n)^a(n) = (-1)^(n+1). Just use the triviality a(2*k+1) == 0 (mod (2*k+1)) and a(2*k) == k (mod (2*k)).
a(n) is the number of terms in the expansion of (a_1 + a_2 + a_3)^(n-1). - Sergio Falcon, Feb 12 2007
a(n+1) is the number of terms in the complete homogeneous symmetric polynomial of degree n in 2 variables. - Richard Barnes, Sep 06 2017
The number of distinct handshakes in a room with n+1 people. - Mohammad K. Azarian, Apr 12 2007 [corrected, Joerg Arndt, Jan 18 2016]
Equal to the rank (minimal cardinality of a generating set) of the semigroup PT_n\S_n, where PT_n and S_n denote the partial transformation semigroup and symmetric group on [n]. - James East, May 03 2007
a(n) gives the total number of triangles found when cevians are drawn from a single vertex on a triangle to the side opposite that vertex, where n = the number of cevians drawn+1. For instance, with 1 cevian drawn, n = 1+1 = 2 and a(n)= 2*(2+1)/2 = 3 so there is a total of 3 triangles in the figure. If 2 cevians are drawn from one point to the opposite side, then n = 1+2 = 3 and a(n) = 3*(3+1)/2 = 6 so there is a total of 6 triangles in the figure. - Noah Priluck (npriluck(AT)gmail.com), Apr 30 2007
For n >= 1, a(n) is the number of ways in which n-1 can be written as a sum of three nonnegative integers if representations differing in the order of the terms are considered to be different. In other words, for n >= 1, a(n) is the number of nonnegative integral solutions of the equation x + y + z = n-1. - Amarnath Murthy, Apr 22 2001 (edited by Robert A. Beeler)
a(n) is the number of levels with energy n + 3/2 (in units of h*f0, with Planck's constant h and the oscillator frequency f0) of the three-dimensional isotropic harmonic quantum oscillator. See the comment by A. Murthy above: n = n1 + n2 + n3 with positive integers and ordered. Proof from the o.g.f. See the A. Messiah reference. - Wolfdieter Lang, Jun 29 2007
From Hieronymus Fischer, Aug 06 2007: (Start)
Numbers m >= 0 such that round(sqrt(2m+1)) - round(sqrt(2m)) = 1.
Numbers m >= 0 such that ceiling(2*sqrt(2m+1)) - 1 = 1 + floor(2*sqrt(2m)).
Numbers m >= 0 such that fract(sqrt(2m+1)) > 1/2 and fract(sqrt(2m)) < 1/2, where fract(x) is the fractional part of x (i.e., x - floor(x), x >= 0). (End)
If Y and Z are 3-blocks of an n-set X, then, for n >= 6, a(n-1) is the number of (n-2)-subsets of X intersecting both Y and Z. - Milan Janjic, Nov 09 2007
Equals row sums of triangle A143320, n > 0. - Gary W. Adamson, Aug 07 2008
a(n) is also an even perfect number in A000396 iff n is a Mersenne prime A000668. - Omar E. Pol, Sep 05 2008. Unnecessary assumption removed and clarified by Rick L. Shepherd, Apr 14 2025
Equals row sums of triangle A152204. - Gary W. Adamson, Nov 29 2008
The number of matches played in a round robin tournament: n*(n-1)/2 gives the number of matches needed for n players. Everyone plays against everyone else exactly once. - Georg Wrede (georg(AT)iki.fi), Dec 18 2008
-a(n+1) = E(2)*binomial(n+2,2) (n >= 0) where E(n) are the Euler numbers in the enumeration A122045. Viewed this way, a(n) is the special case k=2 in the sequence of diagonals in the triangle A153641. - Peter Luschny, Jan 06 2009
Equivalent to the first differences of successive tetrahedral numbers. See A000292. - Jeremy Cahill (jcahill(AT)inbox.com), Apr 15 2009
The general formula for alternating sums of powers is in terms of the Swiss-Knife polynomials P(n,x) A153641 2^(-n-1)(P(n,1)-(-1)^k P(n,2k+1)). Thus a(k) = |2^(-3)(P(2,1)-(-1)^k P(2,2k+1))|. - Peter Luschny, Jul 12 2009
a(n) is the smallest number > a(n-1) such that gcd(n,a(n)) = gcd(n,a(n-1)). If n is odd this gcd is n; if n is even it is n/2. - Franklin T. Adams-Watters, Aug 06 2009
Partial sums of A001477. - Juri-Stepan Gerasimov, Jan 25 2010. [A-number corrected by Omar E. Pol, Jun 05 2012]
The numbers along the right edge of Floyd's triangle are 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, .... - Paul Muljadi, Jan 25 2010
From Charlie Marion, Dec 03 2010: (Start)
More generally, a(2k+1) == j*(2j-1) (mod 2k+2j+1) and
a(2k) == [-k + 2j*(j-1)] (mod 2k+2j).
Column sums of:
  1 3 5  7  9 ...
      1  3  5 ...
            1 ...
  ...............
  ---------------
  1 3 6 10 15 ...
Sum_{n>=1} 1/a(n)^2 = 4*Pi^2/3-12 = 12 less than the volume of a sphere with radius Pi^(1/3).
(End)
A004201(a(n)) = A000290(n); A004202(a(n)) = A002378(n). - Reinhard Zumkeller, Feb 12 2011
1/a(n+1), n >= 0, has e.g.f. -2*(1+x-exp(x))/x^2, and o.g.f. 2*(x+(1-x)*log(1-x))/x^2 (see the Stephen Crowley formula line). -1/(2*a(n+1)) is the z-sequence for the Sheffer triangle of the coefficients of the Bernoulli polynomials A196838/A196839. - Wolfdieter Lang, Oct 26 2011
From Charlie Marion, Feb 23 2012: (Start)
a(n) + a(A002315(k)*n + A001108(k+1)) = (A001653(k+1)*n + A001109(k+1))^2. For k=0 we obtain a(n) + a(n+1) = (n+1)^2 (identity added by N. J. A. Sloane on Feb 19 2004).
a(n) + a(A002315(k)*n - A055997(k+1)) = (A001653(k+1)*n - A001109(k))^2.
(End)
Plot the three points (0,0), (a(n), a(n+1)), (a(n+1), a(n+2)) to form a triangle. The area will be a(n+1)/2. - J. M. Bergot, May 04 2012
The sum of four consecutive triangular numbers, beginning with a(n)=n*(n+1)/2, minus 2 is 2*(n+2)^2. a(n)*a(n+2)/2 = a(a(n+1)-1). - J. M. Bergot, May 17 2012
(a(n)*a(n+3) - a(n+1)*a(n+2))*(a(n+1)*a(n+4) - a(n+2)*a(n+3))/8 = a((n^2+5*n+4)/2). - J. M. Bergot, May 18 2012
a(n)*a(n+1) + a(n+2)*a(n+3) + 3 = a(n^2 + 4*n + 6). - J. M. Bergot, May 22 2012
In general, a(n)*a(n+1) + a(n+k)*a(n+k+1) + a(k-1)*a(k) = a(n^2 + (k+2)*n + k*(k+1)). - Charlie Marion, Sep 11 2012
a(n)*a(n+3) + a(n+1)*a(n+2) = a(n^2 + 4*n + 2). - J. M. Bergot, May 22 2012
In general, a(n)*a(n+k) + a(n+1)*a(n+k-1) = a(n^2 + (k+1)*n + k-1). - Charlie Marion, Sep 11 2012
a(n)*a(n+2) + a(n+1)*a(n+3) = a(n^2 + 4*n + 3). - J. M. Bergot, May 22 2012
Three points (a(n),a(n+1)), (a(n+1),a(n)) and (a(n+2),a(n+3)) form a triangle with area 4*a(n+1). - J. M. Bergot, May 23 2012
a(n) + a(n+k) = (n+k)^2 - (k^2 + (2n-1)*k -2n)/2. For k=1 we obtain a(n) + a(n+1) = (n+1)^2 (see below). - Charlie Marion, Oct 02 2012
In n-space we can define a(n-1) nontrivial orthogonal projections. For example, in 3-space there are a(2)=3 (namely point onto line, point onto plane, line onto plane). - Douglas Latimer, Dec 17 2012
From James East, Jan 08 2013: (Start)
For n >= 1, a(n) is equal to the rank (minimal cardinality of a generating set) and idempotent rank (minimal cardinality of an idempotent generating set) of the semigroup P_n\S_n, where P_n and S_n denote the partition monoid and symmetric group on [n].
For n >= 3, a(n-1) is equal to the rank and idempotent rank of the semigroup T_n\S_n, where T_n and S_n denote the full transformation semigroup and symmetric group on [n].
(End)
For n >= 3, a(n) is equal to the rank and idempotent rank of the semigroup PT_n\S_n, where PT_n and S_n denote the partial transformation semigroup and symmetric group on [n]. - James East, Jan 15 2013
Conjecture: For n > 0, there is always a prime between A000217(n) and A000217(n+1). Sequence A065383 has the first 1000 of these primes. - Ivan N. Ianakiev, Mar 11 2013
The formula, a(n)*a(n+4k+2)/2 + a(k) = a(a(n+2k+1) - (k^2+(k+1)^2)), is a generalization of the formula a(n)*a(n+2)/2 = a(a(n+1)-1) in Bergot's comment dated May 17 2012. - Charlie Marion, Mar 28 2013
The series Sum_{k>=1} 1/a(k) = 2, given in a formula below by Jon Perry, Jul 13 2003, has partial sums 2*n/(n+1) (telescopic sum) = A022998(n)/A026741(n+1). - Wolfdieter Lang, Apr 09 2013
For odd m = 2k+1, we have the recurrence a(m*n + k) = m^2*a(n) + a(k). Corollary: If number T is in the sequence then so is 9*T+1. - Lekraj Beedassy, May 29 2013
Euler, in Section 87 of the Opera Postuma, shows that whenever T is a triangular number then 9*T + 1, 25*T + 3, 49*T + 6 and 81*T + 10 are also triangular numbers. In general, if T is a triangular number then (2*k + 1)^2*T + k*(k + 1)/2 is also a triangular number. - Peter Bala, Jan 05 2015
Using 1/b and 1/(b+2) will give a Pythagorean triangle with sides 2*b + 2, b^2 + 2*b, and b^2 + 2*b + 2. Set b=n-1 to give a triangle with sides of lengths 2*n,n^2-1, and n^2 + 1. One-fourth the perimeter = a(n) for n > 1. - J. M. Bergot, Jul 24 2013
a(n) = A028896(n)/6, where A028896(n) = s(n) - s(n-1) are the first differences of s(n) = n^3 + 3*n^2 + 2*n - 8. s(n) can be interpreted as the sum of the 12 edge lengths plus the sum of the 6 face areas plus the volume of an n X (n-1) X (n-2) rectangular prism. - J. M. Bergot, Aug 13 2013
Dimension of orthogonal group O(n+1). - Eric M. Schmidt, Sep 08 2013
Number of positive roots in the root system of type A_n (for n > 0). - Tom Edgar, Nov 05 2013
A formula for the r-th successive summation of k, for k = 1 to n, is binomial(n+r,r+1) [H. W. Gould]. - Gary Detlefs, Jan 02 2014
Also the alternating row sums of A095831. Also the alternating row sums of A055461, for n >= 1. - Omar E. Pol, Jan 26 2014
For n >= 3, a(n-2) is the number of permutations of 1,2,...,n with the distribution of up (1) - down (0) elements 0...011 (n-3 zeros), or, the same, a(n-2) is up-down coefficient {n,3} (see comment in A060351). - Vladimir Shevelev, Feb 14 2014
a(n) is the dimension of the vector space of symmetric n X n matrices. - Derek Orr, Mar 29 2014
Non-vanishing subdiagonal of A132440^2/2, aside from the initial zero. First subdiagonal of unsigned A238363. Cf. A130534 for relations to colored forests, disposition of flags on flagpoles, and colorings of the vertices of complete graphs. - Tom Copeland, Apr 05 2014
The number of Sidon subsets of {1,...,n+1} of size 2. - Carl Najafi, Apr 27 2014
Number of factors in the definition of the Vandermonde determinant V(x_1,x_2,...,x_n) = Product_{1 <= i < k <= n} x_i - x_k. - Tom Copeland, Apr 27 2014
Number of weak compositions of n into three parts. - Robert A. Beeler, May 20 2014
Suppose a bag contains a(n) red marbles and a(n+1) blue marbles, where a(n), a(n+1) are consecutive triangular numbers. Then, for n > 0, the probability of choosing two marbles at random and getting two red or two blue is 1/2. In general, for k > 2, let b(0) = 0, b(1) = 1 and, for n > 1, b(n) = (k-1)*b(n-1) - b(n-2) + 1. Suppose, for n > 0, a bag contains b(n) red marbles and b(n+1) blue marbles. Then the probability of choosing two marbles at random and getting two red or two blue is (k-1)/(k+1). See also A027941, A061278, A089817, A053142, A092521. - Charlie Marion, Nov 03 2014
Let O(n) be the oblong number n(n+1) = A002378 and S(n) the square number n^2 = A000290(n). Then a(4n) = O(3n) - O(n), a(4n+1) = S(3n+1) - S(n), a(4n+2) = S(3n+2) - S(n+1) and a(4n+3) = O(3n+2) - O(n). - Charlie Marion, Feb 21 2015
Consider the partition of the natural numbers into parts from the set S=(1,2,3,...,n). The length (order) of the signature of the resulting sequence is given by the triangular numbers. E.g., for n=10, the signature length is 55. - David Neil McGrath, May 05 2015
a(n) counts the partitions of (n-1) unlabeled objects into three (3) parts (labeled a,b,c), e.g., a(5)=15 for (n-1)=4. These are (aaaa),(bbbb),(cccc),(aaab),(aaac),(aabb),(aacc),(aabc),(abbc),(abcc),(abbb),(accc),(bbcc),(bccc),(bbbc). - David Neil McGrath, May 21 2015
Conjecture: the sequence is the genus/deficiency of the sinusoidal spirals of index n which are algebraic curves. The value 0 corresponds to the case of the Bernoulli Lemniscate n=2. So the formula conjectured is (n-1)(n-2)/2. - Wolfgang Tintemann, Aug 02 2015
Conjecture: Let m be any positive integer. Then, for each n = 1,2,3,... the set {Sum_{k=s..t} 1/k^m: 1 <= s <= t <= n} has cardinality a(n) = n*(n+1)/2; in other words, all the sums Sum_{k=s..t} 1/k^m with 1 <= s <= t are pairwise distinct. (I have checked this conjecture via a computer and found no counterexample.) - Zhi-Wei Sun, Sep 09 2015
The Pisano period lengths of reading the sequence modulo m seem to be A022998(m). - R. J. Mathar, Nov 29 2015
For n >= 1, a(n) is the number of compositions of n+4 into n parts avoiding the part 2. - Milan Janjic, Jan 07 2016
In this sequence only 3 is prime. - Fabian Kopp, Jan 09 2016
Suppose you are playing Bulgarian Solitaire (see A242424 and Chamberland's and Gardner's books) and, for n > 0, you are starting with a single pile of a(n) cards. Then the number of operations needed to reach the fixed state {n, n-1,...,1} is a(n-1). For example, {6}->{5,1}->{4,2}->{3,2,1}. - Charlie Marion, Jan 14 2016
Numbers k such that 8k + 1 is a square. - Juri-Stepan Gerasimov, Apr 09 2016
Every perfect cube is the difference of the squares of two consecutive triangular numbers. 1^2-0^2 = 1^3, 3^2-1^2 = 2^3, 6^2-3^2 = 3^3. - Miquel Cerda, Jun 26 2016
For n > 1, a(n) = tau_n(k*) where tau_n(k) is the number of ordered n-factorizations of k and k* is the square of a prime. For example, tau_3(4) = tau_3(9) = tau_3(25) = tau_3(49) = 6 (see A007425) since the number of divisors of 4, 9, 25, and 49's divisors is 6, and a(3) = 6. - Melvin Peralta, Aug 29 2016
In an (n+1)-dimensional hypercube, number of two-dimensional faces congruent with a vertex (see also A001788). - Stanislav Sykora, Oct 23 2016
Generalizations of the familiar formulas, a(n) + a(n+1) = (n+1)^2 (Feb 19 2004) and a(n)^2 + a(n+1)^2 = a((n+1)^2) (Nov 22 2006), follow: a(n) + a(n+2k-1) + 4a(k-1) = (n+k)^2 + 6a(k-1) and a(n)^2 + a(n+2k-1)^2 + (4a(k-1))^2 + 3a(k-1) = a((n+k)^2 + 6a(k-1)). - Charlie Marion, Nov 27 2016
a(n) is also the greatest possible number of diagonals in a polyhedron with n+4 vertices. - Vladimir Letsko, Dec 19 2016
For n > 0, 2^5 * (binomial(n+1,2))^2 represents the first integer in a sum of 2*(2*n + 1)^2 consecutive integers that equals (2*n + 1)^6. - Patrick J. McNab, Dec 25 2016
Does not satisfy Benford's law (cf. Ross, 2012). - N. J. A. Sloane, Feb 12 2017
Number of ordered triples (a,b,c) of positive integers not larger than n such that a+b+c = 2n+1. - Aviel Livay, Feb 13 2017
Number of inequivalent tetrahedral face colorings using at most n colors so that no color appears only once. - David Nacin, Feb 22 2017
Also the Wiener index of the complete graph K_{n+1}. - Eric W. Weisstein, Sep 07 2017
Number of intersections between the Bernstein polynomials of degree n. - Eric Desbiaux, Apr 01 2018
a(n) is the area of a triangle with vertices at (1,1), (n+1,n+2), and ((n+1)^2, (n+2)^2). - Art Baker, Dec 06 2018
For n > 0, a(n) is the smallest k > 0 such that n divides numerator of (1/a(1) + 1/a(2) + ... + 1/a(n-1) + 1/k). It should be noted that 1/1 + 1/3 + 1/6 + ... + 2/(n(n+1)) = 2n/(n+1). - Thomas Ordowski, Aug 04 2019
Upper bound of the number of lines in an n-homogeneous supersolvable line arrangement (see Theorem 1.1 in Dimca). - Stefano Spezia, Oct 04 2019
For n > 0, a(n+1) is the number of lattice points on a triangular grid with side length n. - Wesley Ivan Hurt, Aug 12 2020
From Michael Chu, May 04 2022: (Start)
Maximum number of distinct nonempty substrings of a string of length n.
Maximum cardinality of the sumset A+A, where A is a set of n numbers. (End)
a(n) is the number of parking functions of size n avoiding the patterns 123, 132, and 312. - Lara Pudwell, Apr 10 2023
Suppose two rows, each consisting of n evenly spaced dots, are drawn in parallel. Suppose we bijectively draw lines between the dots of the two rows. For n >= 1, a(n - 1) is the maximal possible number of intersections between the lines. Equivalently, the maximal number of inversions in a permutation of [n]. - Sela Fried, Apr 18 2023
The following equation complements the generalization in Bala's Comment (Jan 05 2015). (2k + 1)^2*a(n) + a(k) = a((2k + 1)*n + k). - Charlie Marion, Aug 28 2023
a(n) + a(n+k) + a(k-1) + (k-1)*n = (n+k)^2.  For k = 1, we have a(n) + a(n+1) = (n+1)^2. - Charlie Marion, Nov 17 2023
a(n+1)/3 is the expected number of steps to escape from a linear row of n positions starting at a random location and randomly performing steps -1 or +1 with equal probability. - Hugo Pfoertner, Jul 22 2025
a(n+1) is the number of nonnegative integer solutions to p + q + r = n. By Sylvester's law of inertia, it is also the number of congruence classes of real symmetric n-by-n matrices or equivalently, the number of symmetric bilinear forms on a real n-dimensional vector space. - Paawan Jethva, Jul 24 2025

			G.f.: x + 3*x^2 + 6*x^3 + 10*x^4 + 15*x^5 + 21*x^6 + 28*x^7 + 36*x^8 + 45*x^9 + ...
When n=3, a(3) = 4*3/2 = 6.
Example(a(4)=10): ABCD where A, B, C and D are different links in a chain or different amino acids in a peptide possible fragments: A, B, C, D, AB, ABC, ABCD, BC, BCD, CD = 10.
a(2): hollyhock leaves on the Tokugawa Mon, a(4): points in Pythagorean tetractys, a(5): object balls in eight-ball billiards. - _Bradley Klee_, Aug 24 2015
From _Gus Wiseman_, Oct 28 2020: (Start)
The a(1) = 1 through a(5) = 15 ordered triples of positive integers summing to n + 2 [Beeler, McGrath above] are the following. These compositions are ranked by A014311.
  (111)  (112)  (113)  (114)  (115)
         (121)  (122)  (123)  (124)
         (211)  (131)  (132)  (133)
                (212)  (141)  (142)
                (221)  (213)  (151)
                (311)  (222)  (214)
                       (231)  (223)
                       (312)  (232)
                       (321)  (241)
                       (411)  (313)
                              (322)
                              (331)
                              (412)
                              (421)
                              (511)
The unordered version is A001399(n-3) = A069905(n), with Heinz numbers A014612.
The strict case is A001399(n-6)*6, ranked by A337453.
The unordered strict case is A001399(n-6), with Heinz numbers A007304.
(End)

M. Abramowitz and I. A. Stegun, eds., Handbook of Mathematical Functions, National Bureau of Standards Applied Math. Series 55, 1964 (and various reprintings), p. 828.
C. Alsina and R. B. Nelson, Charming Proofs: A Journey into Elegant Mathematics, MAA, 2010. See Chapter 1.
T. M. Apostol, Introduction to Analytic Number Theory, Springer-Verlag, 1976, page 2.
A. H. Beiler, Recreations in the Theory of Numbers, Dover, NY, 1964, p. 189.
A. T. Benjamin and J. J. Quinn, Proofs that really count: the art of combinatorial proof, M.A.A. 2003, p. 109ff.
Marc Chamberland, Single Digits: In Praise of Small Numbers, Chapter 3, The Number Three, p. 72, Princeton University Press, 2015.
L. Comtet, Advanced Combinatorics, Reidel, 1974, p. 155.
John H. Conway and Richard K. Guy, The Book of Numbers, New York: Springer-Verlag, 1996. See pp. 33, 38, 40, 70.
J. M. De Koninck and A. Mercier, 1001 Problèmes en Théorie Classique des Nombres, Problème 309 pp 46-196, Ellipses, Paris, 2004
E. Deza and M. M. Deza, Figurate numbers, World Scientific Publishing (2012), page 6.
L. E. Dickson, History of the Theory of Numbers. Carnegie Institute Public. 256, Washington, DC, Vol. 1, 1919; Vol. 2, 1920; Vol. 3, 1923, see vol. 2, p. 1.
Martin Gardner, Colossal Book of Mathematics, Chapter 34, Bulgarian Solitaire and Other Seemingly Endless Tasks, pp. 455-467, W. W. Norton & Company, 2001.
James Gleick, The Information: A History, A Theory, A Flood, Pantheon, 2011. [On page 82 mentions a table of the first 19999 triangular numbers published by E. de Joncort in 1762.]
Jan Gullberg, Mathematics from the Birth of Numbers, W. W. Norton & Co., NY & London, 1997, §4.6 Mathematical Proof and §8.6 Figurate Numbers, pp. 158-159, 289-290.
Cay S. Horstmann, Scala for the Impatient. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Addison-Wesley (2012): 171.
Elemer Labos, On the number of RGB-colors we can distinguish. Partition Spectra. Lecture at 7th Hungarian Conference on Biometry and Biomathematics. Budapest. Jul 06 2005.
A. Messiah, Quantum Mechanics, Vol.1, North Holland, Amsterdam, 1965, p. 457.
J. C. P. Miller, editor, Table of Binomial Coefficients. Royal Society Mathematical Tables, Vol. 3, Cambridge Univ. Press, 1954.
Alfred S. Posamentier, Math Charmers, Tantalizing Tidbits for the Mind, Prometheus Books, NY, 2003, pages 52-53, 129-132, 274.
N. J. A. Sloane, A Handbook of Integer Sequences, Academic Press, 1973 (includes this sequence).
N. J. A. Sloane and Simon Plouffe, The Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences, Academic Press, 1995 (includes this sequence).
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T. Trotter, Some Identities for the Triangular Numbers, Journal of Recreational Mathematics, Spring 1973, 6(2).
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Index entries for "core" sequences
Index entries for related partition-counting sequences
Index entries for linear recurrences with constant coefficients, signature (3,-3,1).
Index entries for two-way infinite sequences
Index to sequences related to polygonal numbers
Index entries for sequences related to Benford's law

The figurate numbers, with parameter k as in the second Python program: A001477 (k=0), this sequence (k=1), A000290 (k=2), A000326 (k=3), A000384 (k=4), A000566 (k=5), A000567 (k=6), A001106 (k=7), A001107 (k=8).
Cf. A000096, A000124, A000292, A000330, A000396, A000668, A001082, A001788, A002024, A002378, A002415, A003056 (inverse function), A004526, A006011, A007318, A008953, A008954, A010054 (characteristic function), A028347, A036666, A046092, A051942, A055998, A055999, A056000, A056115, A056119, A056121, A056126, A062717, A087475, A101859, A109613, A143320, A210569, A245031, A245300, A060544, A016754.
a(n) = A110449(n, 0).
a(n) = A110555(n+2, 2).
A diagonal of A008291.
Column 2 of A195152.
Numbers of the form n*t(n+k,h)-(n+k)*t(n,h), where t(i,h) = i*(i+2*h+1)/2 for any h (for A000217 is k=1): A005563, A067728, A140091, A140681, A212331.
Boustrophedon transforms: A000718, A000746.
Iterations: A007501 (start=2), A013589 (start=4), A050542 (start=5), A050548 (start=7), A050536 (start=8), A050909 (start=9).
Cf. A002817 (doubly triangular numbers), A075528 (solutions of a(n)=a(m)/2).
Cf. A104712 (first column, starting with a(1)).
Some generalized k-gonal numbers are A001318 (k=5), this sequence (k=6), A085787 (k=7), etc.
A001399(n-3) = A069905(n)   = A211540(n+2) counts 3-part partitions.
A001399(n-6) = A069905(n-3) = A211540(n-1) counts 3-part strict partitions.
A011782 counts compositions of any length.
A337461 counts pairwise coprime triples, with unordered version A307719.
Cf. A000212, A001840, A007304, A156040, A220377, A337483, A337604.
Cf. A099174, A130534, A132440, A238363.

a000217 n = a000217_list !! n
a000217_list = scanl1 (+) [0..] -- Reinhard Zumkeller, Sep 23 2011

a000217=: *-:@>: NB. Stephen Makdisi, May 02 2018

[n*(n+1)/2: n in [0..60]]; // Bruno Berselli, Jul 11 2014

[n: n in [0..1500] | IsSquare(8*n+1)]; // Juri-Stepan Gerasimov, Apr 09 2016

A000217 := proc(n) n*(n+1)/2; end;
istriangular:=proc(n) local t1; t1:=floor(sqrt(2*n)); if n = t1*(t1+1)/2 then return true else return false; end if; end proc; # N. J. A. Sloane, May 25 2008
ZL := [S, {S=Prod(B, B, B), B=Set(Z, 1 <= card)}, unlabeled]:
seq(combstruct[count](ZL, size=n), n=2..55); # Zerinvary Lajos, Mar 24 2007
isA000217 := proc(n)
    issqr(1+8*n) ;
end proc: # R. J. Mathar, Nov 29 2015 [This is the recipe Leonhard Euler proposes in chapter VII of his "Vollständige Anleitung zur Algebra", 1765. Peter Luschny, Sep 02 2022]

Array[ #*(# - 1)/2 &, 54] (* Zerinvary Lajos, Jul 10 2009 *)
FoldList[#1 + #2 &, 0, Range@ 50] (* Robert G. Wilson v, Feb 02 2011 *)
Accumulate[Range[0,70]] (* Harvey P. Dale, Sep 09 2012 *)
CoefficientList[Series[x / (1 - x)^3, {x, 0, 50}], x] (* Vincenzo Librandi, Jul 30 2014 *)
(* For Mathematica 10.4+ *) Table[PolygonalNumber[n], {n, 0, 53}] (* Arkadiusz Wesolowski, Aug 27 2016 *)
LinearRecurrence[{3, -3, 1}, {0, 1, 3}, 54] (* Robert G. Wilson v, Dec 04 2016 *)
(* The following Mathematica program, courtesy of Steven J. Miller, is useful for testing if a sequence is Benford. To test a different sequence only one line needs to be changed. This strongly suggests that the triangular numbers are not Benford, since the second and third columns of the output disagree. - N. J. A. Sloane, Feb 12 2017 *)
fd[x_] := Floor[10^Mod[Log[10, x], 1]]
benfordtest[num_] := Module[{},
   For[d = 1, d <= 9, d++, digit[d] = 0];
   For[n = 1, n <= num, n++,
    {
     d = fd[n(n+1)/2];
     If[d != 0, digit[d] = digit[d] + 1];
     }];
   For[d = 1, d <= 9, d++, digit[d] = 1.0 digit[d]/num];
   For[d = 1, d <= 9, d++,
    Print[d, " ", 100.0 digit[d], " ", 100.0 Log[10, (d + 1)/d]]];
   ];
benfordtest[20000]
Table[Length[Join@@Permutations/@IntegerPartitions[n,{3}]],{n,0,15}] (* Gus Wiseman, Oct 28 2020 *)

PARI
```
A000217(n) = n * (n + 1) / 2;
```

is_A000217(n)=n*2==(1+n=sqrtint(2*n))*n \\ M. F. Hasler, May 24 2012

is(n)=ispolygonal(n,3) \\ Charles R Greathouse IV, Feb 28 2014

list(lim)=my(v=List(),n,t); while((t=n*n++/2)<=lim,listput(v,t)); Vec(v) \\ Charles R Greathouse IV, Jun 18 2021

for n in range(0,60): print(n*(n+1)//2, end=', ') # Stefano Spezia, Dec 06 2018

# Intended to compute the initial segment of the sequence, not
# isolated terms. If in the iteration the line "x, y = x + y + 1, y + 1"
# is replaced by "x, y = x + y + k, y + k" then the figurate numbers are obtained,
# for k = 0 (natural A001477), k = 1 (triangular), k = 2 (squares), k = 3 (pentagonal), k = 4 (hexagonal), k = 5 (heptagonal), k = 6 (octagonal), etc.
def aList():
    x, y = 1, 1
    yield 0
    while True:
        yield x
        x, y = x + y + 1, y + 1
A000217 = aList()
print([next(A000217) for i in range(54)]) # Peter Luschny, Aug 03 2019

[n*(n+1)/2 for n in (0..60)] # Bruno Berselli, Jul 11 2014

(1 to 53).scanLeft(0)( + ) // Horstmann (2012), p. 171

(define (A000217 n) (/ (* n (+ n 1)) 2)) ;; Antti Karttunen, Jul 08 2017

G.f.: x/(1-x)^3. - Simon Plouffe in his 1992 dissertation
E.g.f.: exp(x)*(x+x^2/2).
a(n) = a(-1-n).
a(n) + a(n-1)*a(n+1) = a(n)^2. - Terrel Trotter, Jr., Apr 08 2002
a(n) = (-1)^n*Sum_{k=1..n} (-1)^k*k^2. - Benoit Cloitre, Aug 29 2002
a(n+1) = ((n+2)/n)*a(n), Sum_{n>=1} 1/a(n) = 2. - Jon Perry, Jul 13 2003
For n > 0, a(n) = A001109(n) - Sum_{k=0..n-1} (2*k+1)*A001652(n-1-k); e.g., 10 = 204 - (1*119 + 3*20 + 5*3 + 7*0). - Charlie Marion, Jul 18 2003
With interpolated zeros, this is n*(n+2)*(1+(-1)^n)/16. - Benoit Cloitre, Aug 19 2003
a(n+1) is the determinant of the n X n symmetric Pascal matrix M_(i, j) = binomial(i+j+1, i). - Benoit Cloitre, Aug 19 2003
a(n) = ((n+1)^3 - n^3 - 1)/6. - Xavier Acloque, Oct 24 2003
a(n) = a(n-1) + (1 + sqrt(1 + 8*a(n-1)))/2. This recursive relation is inverted when taking the negative branch of the square root, i.e., a(n) is transformed into a(n-1) rather than a(n+1). - Carl R. White, Nov 04 2003
a(n) = Sum_{k=1..n} phi(k)*floor(n/k) = Sum_{k=1..n} A000010(k)*A010766(n, k) (R. Dedekind). - Vladeta Jovovic, Feb 05 2004
a(n) + a(n+1) = (n+1)^2. - N. J. A. Sloane, Feb 19 2004
a(n) = a(n-2) + 2*n - 1. - Paul Barry, Jul 17 2004
a(n) = sqrt(Sum_{i=1..n} Sum_{j=1..n} (i*j)) = sqrt(A000537(n)). - Alexander Adamchuk, Oct 24 2004
a(n) = sqrt(sqrt(Sum_{i=1..n} Sum_{j=1..n} (i*j)^3)) = (Sum_{i=1..n} Sum_{j=1..n} Sum_{k=1..n} (i*j*k)^3)^(1/6). - Alexander Adamchuk, Oct 26 2004
a(n) == 1 (mod n+2) if n is odd and a(n) == n/2+2 (mod n+2) if n is even. - Jon Perry, Dec 16 2004
a(0) = 0, a(1) = 1, a(n) = 2*a(n-1) - a(n-2) + 1. - Miklos Kristof, Mar 09 2005
a(n) = a(n-1) + n. - Zak Seidov, Mar 06 2005
a(n) = A108299(n+3,4) = -A108299(n+4,5). - Reinhard Zumkeller, Jun 01 2005
a(n) = A111808(n,2) for n > 1. - Reinhard Zumkeller, Aug 17 2005
a(n)*a(n+1) = A006011(n+1) = (n+1)^2*(n^2+2)/4 = 3*A002415(n+1) = 1/2*a(n^2+2*n). a(n-1)*a(n) = (1/2)*a(n^2-1). - Alexander Adamchuk, Apr 13 2006 [Corrected and edited by Charlie Marion, Nov 26 2010]
a(n) = floor((2*n+1)^2/8). - Paul Barry, May 29 2006
For positive n, we have a(8*a(n))/a(n) = 4*(2*n+1)^2 = (4*n+2)^2, i.e., a(A033996(n))/a(n) = 4*A016754(n) = (A016825(n))^2 = A016826(n). - Lekraj Beedassy, Jul 29 2006
a(n)^2 + a(n+1)^2 = a((n+1)^2) [R B Nelsen, Math Mag 70 (2) (1997), p. 130]. - R. J. Mathar, Nov 22 2006
a(n) = A126890(n,0). - Reinhard Zumkeller, Dec 30 2006
a(n)*a(n+k)+a(n+1)*a(n+1+k) = a((n+1)*(n+1+k)). Generalizes previous formula dated Nov 22 2006 [and comments by J. M. Bergot dated May 22 2012]. - Charlie Marion, Feb 04 2011
(sqrt(8*a(n)+1)-1)/2 = n. - David W. Cantrell (DWCantrell(AT)sigmaxi.net), Feb 26 2007
a(n) = A023896(n) + A067392(n). - Lekraj Beedassy, Mar 02 2007
Sum_{k=0..n} a(k)*A039599(n,k) = A002457(n-1), for n >= 1. - Philippe Deléham, Jun 10 2007
8*a(n)^3 + a(n)^2 = Y(n)^2, where Y(n) = n*(n+1)*(2*n+1)/2 = 3*A000330(n). - Mohamed Bouhamida, Nov 06 2007 [Edited by Derek Orr, May 05 2015]
A general formula for polygonal numbers is P(k,n) = (k-2)*(n-1)n/2 + n = n + (k-2)*A000217(n-1), for n >= 1, k >= 3. - Omar E. Pol, Apr 28 2008 and Mar 31 2013
a(3*n) = A081266(n), a(4*n) = A033585(n), a(5*n) = A144312(n), a(6*n) = A144314(n). - Reinhard Zumkeller, Sep 17 2008
a(n) = A022264(n) - A049450(n). - Reinhard Zumkeller, Oct 09 2008
If we define f(n,i,a) = Sum_{j=0..k-1} (binomial(n,k)*Stirling1(n-k,i)*Product_{j=0..k-1} (-a-j)), then a(n) = -f(n,n-1,1), for n >= 1. - Milan Janjic, Dec 20 2008
4*a(x) + 4*a(y) + 1 = (x+y+1)^2 + (x-y)^2. - Vladimir Shevelev, Jan 21 2009
a(n) = A000124(n-1) + n-1 for n >= 2. a(n) = A000124(n) - 1. - Jaroslav Krizek, Jun 16 2009
An exponential generating function for the inverse of this sequence is given by Sum_{m>=0} ((Pochhammer(1, m)*Pochhammer(1, m))*x^m/(Pochhammer(3, m)*factorial(m))) = ((2-2*x)*log(1-x)+2*x)/x^2, the n-th derivative of which has a closed form which must be evaluated by taking the limit as x->0. A000217(n+1) = (lim_{x->0} d^n/dx^n (((2-2*x)*log(1-x)+2*x)/x^2))^-1 = (lim_{x->0} (2*Gamma(n)*(-1/x)^n*(n*(x/(-1+x))^n*(-x+1+n)*LerchPhi(x/(-1+x), 1, n) + (-1+x)*(n+1)*(x/(-1+x))^n + n*(log(1-x)+log(-1/(-1+x)))*(-x+1+n))/x^2))^-1. - Stephen Crowley, Jun 28 2009
a(n) = A034856(n+1) - A005408(n) = A005843(n) + A000124(n) - A005408(n). - Jaroslav Krizek, Sep 05 2009
a(A006894(n)) = a(A072638(n-1)+1) = A072638(n) = A006894(n+1)-1 for n >= 1. For n=4, a(11) = 66. - Jaroslav Krizek, Sep 12 2009
With offset 1, a(n) = floor(n^3/(n+1))/2. - Gary Detlefs, Feb 14 2010
a(n) = 4*a(floor(n/2)) + (-1)^(n+1)*floor((n+1)/2). - Bruno Berselli, May 23 2010
a(n) = 3*a(n-1) - 3*a(n-2) + a(n-3); a(0)=0, a(1)=1. - Mark Dols, Aug 20 2010
From Charlie Marion, Oct 15 2010: (Start)
a(n) + 2*a(n-1) + a(n-2) = n^2 + (n-1)^2; and
a(n) + 3*a(n-1) + 3*a(n-2) + a(n-3) = n^2 + 2*(n-1)^2 + (n-2)^2.
In general, for n >= m > 2, Sum_{k=0..m} binomial(m,m-k)*a(n-k) = Sum_{k=0..m-1} binomial(m-1,m-1-k)*(n-k)^2.
a(n) - 2*a(n-1) + a(n-2) = 1, a(n) - 3*a(n-1) + 3*a(n-2) - a(n-3) = 0 and a(n) - 4*a(n-1) + 6*a(n-2) - 4*(a-3) + a(n-4) = 0.
In general, for n >= m > 2, Sum_{k=0..m} (-1)^k*binomial(m,m-k)*a(n-k) = 0.
(End)
a(n) = sqrt(A000537(n)). - Zak Seidov, Dec 07 2010
For n > 0, a(n) = 1/(Integral_{x=0..Pi/2} 4*(sin(x))^(2*n-1)*(cos(x))^3). - Francesco Daddi, Aug 02 2011
a(n) = A110654(n)*A008619(n). - Reinhard Zumkeller, Aug 24 2011
a(2*k-1) = A000384(k), a(2*k) = A014105(k), k > 0. - Omar E. Pol, Sep 13 2011
a(n) = A026741(n)*A026741(n+1). - Charles R Greathouse IV, Apr 01 2012
a(n) + a(a(n)) + 1 = a(a(n)+1). - J. M. Bergot, Apr 27 2012
a(n) = -s(n+1,n), where s(n,k) are the Stirling numbers of the first kind, A048994. - Mircea Merca, May 03 2012
a(n)*a(n+1) = a(Sum_{m=1..n} A005408(m))/2, for n >= 1. For example, if n=8, then a(8)*a(9) = a(80)/2 = 1620. - Ivan N. Ianakiev, May 27 2012
a(n) = A002378(n)/2 = (A001318(n) + A085787(n))/2. - Omar E. Pol, Jan 11 2013
G.f.: x * (1 + 3x + 6x^2 + ...) = x * Product_{j>=0} (1+x^(2^j))^3 = x * A(x) * A(x^2) * A(x^4) * ..., where A(x) = (1 + 3x + 3x^2 + x^3). - Gary W. Adamson, Jun 26 2012
G.f.: G(0) where G(k) = 1 + (2*k+3)*x/(2*k+1 - x*(k+2)*(2*k+1)/(x*(k+2) + (k+1)/G(k+1))); (continued fraction, 3rd kind, 3-step). - Sergei N. Gladkovskii, Nov 23 2012
a(n) = A002088(n) + A063985(n). - Reinhard Zumkeller, Jan 21 2013
G.f.: x + 3*x^2/(Q(0)-3*x) where Q(k) = 1 + k*(x+1) + 3*x - x*(k+1)*(k+4)/Q(k+1); (continued fraction). - Sergei N. Gladkovskii, Mar 14 2013
a(n) + a(n+1) + a(n+2) + a(n+3) + n = a(2*n+4). - Ivan N. Ianakiev, Mar 16 2013
a(n) + a(n+1) + ... + a(n+8) + 6*n = a(3*n+15). - Charlie Marion, Mar 18 2013
a(n) + a(n+1) + ... + a(n+20) + 2*n^2 + 57*n = a(5*n+55). - Charlie Marion, Mar 18 2013
3*a(n) + a(n-1) = a(2*n), for n > 0. - Ivan N. Ianakiev, Apr 05 2013
In general, a(k*n) = (2*k-1)*a(n) + a((k-1)*n-1). - Charlie Marion, Apr 20 2015
Also, a(k*n) = a(k)*a(n) + a(k-1)*a(n-1). - Robert Israel, Apr 20 2015
a(n+1) = det(binomial(i+2,j+1), 1 <= i,j <= n). - Mircea Merca, Apr 06 2013
a(n) = floor(n/2) + ceiling(n^2/2) = n - floor(n/2) + floor(n^2/2). - Wesley Ivan Hurt, Jun 15 2013
a(n) = floor((n+1)/(exp(2/(n+1))-1)). - Richard R. Forberg, Jun 22 2013
Sum_{n>=1} a(n)/n! = 3*exp(1)/2 by the e.g.f. Also see A067764 regarding ratios calculated this way for binomial coefficients in general. - Richard R. Forberg, Jul 15 2013
Sum_{n>=1} (-1)^(n+1)/a(n) = 4*log(2) - 2 = 0.7725887... . - Richard R. Forberg, Aug 11 2014
2/(Sum_{n>=m} 1/a(n)) = m, for m > 0. - Richard R. Forberg, Aug 12 2014
A228474(a(n))=n; A248952(a(n))=0; A248953(a(n))=a(n); A248961(a(n))=A000330(n). - Reinhard Zumkeller, Oct 20 2014
a(a(n)-1) + a(a(n+2)-1) + 1 = A000124(n+1)^2. - Charlie Marion, Nov 04 2014
a(n) = 2*A000292(n) - A000330(n). - Luciano Ancora, Mar 14 2015
a(n) = A007494(n-1) + A099392(n) for n > 0. - Bui Quang Tuan, Mar 27 2015
Sum_{k=0..n} k*a(k+1) = a(A000096(n+1)). - Charlie Marion, Jul 15 2015
Let O(n) be the oblong number n(n+1) = A002378(n) and S(n) the square number n^2 = A000290(n). Then a(n) + a(n+2k) = O(n+k) + S(k) and a(n) + a(n+2k+1) = S(n+k+1) + O(k). - Charlie Marion, Jul 16 2015
A generalization of the Nov 22 2006 formula, a(n)^2 + a(n+1)^2 = a((n+1)^2), follows. Let T(k,n) = a(n) + k. Then for all k, T(k,n)^2 + T(k,n+1)^2 = T(k,(n+1)^2 + 2*k) - 2*k. - Charlie Marion, Dec 10 2015
a(n)^2 + a(n+1)^2 = a(a(n) + a(n+1)). Deducible from N. J. A. Sloane's a(n) + a(n+1) = (n+1)^2 and R. B. Nelson's a(n)^2 + a(n+1)^2 = a((n+1)^2). - Ben Paul Thurston, Dec 28 2015
Dirichlet g.f.: (zeta(s-2) + zeta(s-1))/2. - Ilya Gutkovskiy, Jun 26 2016
a(n)^2 - a(n-1)^2 = n^3. - Miquel Cerda, Jun 29 2016
a(n) = A080851(0,n-1). - R. J. Mathar, Jul 28 2016
a(n) = A000290(n-1) - A034856(n-4). - Peter M. Chema, Sep 25 2016
a(n)^2 + a(n+3)^2 + 19 = a(n^2 + 4*n + 10). - Charlie Marion, Nov 23 2016
2*a(n)^2 + a(n) = a(n^2+n). - Charlie Marion, Nov 29 2016
G.f.: x/(1-x)^3 = (x * r(x) * r(x^3) * r(x^9) * r(x^27) * ...), where r(x) = (1 + x + x^2)^3 = (1 + 3*x + 6*x^2 + 7*x^3 + 6*x^4 + 3*x^5 + x^6). - Gary W. Adamson, Dec 03 2016
a(n) = sum of the elements of inverse of matrix Q(n), where Q(n) has elements q_i,j = 1/(1-4*(i-j)^2). So if e = appropriately sized vector consisting of 1's, then a(n) = e'.Q(n)^-1.e. - Michael Yukish, Mar 20 2017
a(n) = Sum_{k=1..n} ((2*k-1)!!*(2*n-2*k-1)!!)/((2*k-2)!!*(2*n-2*k)!!). - Michael Yukish, Mar 20 2017
Sum_{i=0..k-1} a(n+i) = (3*k*n^2 + 3*n*k^2 + k^3 - k)/6. - Christopher Hohl, Feb 23 2019
a(n) = A060544(n + 1) - A016754(n). - Ralf Steiner, Nov 09 2019
a(n) == 0 (mod n) iff n is odd (see De Koninck reference). - Bernard Schott, Jan 10 2020
8*a(k)*a(n) + ((a(k)-1)*n + a(k))^2 = ((a(k)+1)*n + a(k))^2.  This formula reduces to the well-known formula, 8*a(n) + 1 = (2*n+1)^2, when k = 1. - Charlie Marion, Jul 23 2020
a(k)*a(n) = Sum_{i = 0..k-1} (-1)^i*a((k-i)*(n-i)). - Charlie Marion, Dec 04 2020
From Amiram Eldar, Jan 20 2021: (Start)
Product_{n>=1} (1 + 1/a(n)) = cosh(sqrt(7)*Pi/2)/(2*Pi).
Product_{n>=2} (1 - 1/a(n)) = 1/3. (End)
a(n) = Sum_{k=1..2*n-1} (-1)^(k+1)*a(k)*a(2*n-k). For example, for n = 4, 1*28 - 3*21 + 6*15 - 10*10 + 15*6 - 21*3 + 28*1 = 10. - Charlie Marion, Mar 23 2022
2*a(n) = A000384(n) - n^2 + 2*n. In general, if P(k,n) = the n-th k-gonal number, then (j+1)*a(n) = P(5 + j, n) - n^2 + (j+1)*n. More generally, (j+1)*P(k,n) = P(2*k + (k-2)*(j-1),n) - n^2 + (j+1)*n. - Charlie Marion, Mar 14 2023
a(n) = A109613(n) * A004526(n+1). - Torlach Rush, Nov 10 2023
a(n) = (1/6)* Sum_{k = 0..3*n} (-1)^(n+k+1) * k*(k + 1) * binomial(3*n+k, 2*k). - Peter Bala, Nov 03 2024
From Peter Bala, Jul 05 2025: (Start)
The following series telescope: for k >= 0,
Sum_{n >= 1} a(n)*a(n+2)*...*a(n+2*k)/(a(n+1)*a(n+3)*...*a(n+2*k+3)) = 1/(2*k + 3);
Sum_{n >= 1} a(n+1)*a(n+3)*...*a(n+2*k+1)/(a(n)*a(n+2)*...*a(n+2*k+2)) = 2/(2*k + 3) * Sum_{i = 1..2*k+3} 1/i. (End)

Edited by Derek Orr, May 05 2015

The definition is based on the definition of a perfect number A000396(0) = 1.

Row sums are 1, 2, -14, -922, -23322, -134184026, ... = 2*(A092336(n)+1) -(n+1)*A000396(n). - R. J. Mathar, Nov 26 2010

The associated exponents k are in A000043: 2, 3, 5, 7, 13, 17, 19 ,31, 61, ...

One can prove that, if m = 2^(k-1)*(2^k-1) is a perfect number, then m*2^k and m*(2^k-1) are both in A181595. Thus every even term in A000396 is a difference of two terms in A181595.

Numbers k for which A382506 "jumps", there appears to be a remarkable relationship to A002182, the highly composites, in line with jumps for A382483 being in that series. See also the graph for A382506.

cp's OEIS Frontend

A153487 Sum of first n perfect numbers A000396, divided by 2.

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A178062 Triangle t(n,m) = -A000396(n)+A000396(m)+A000396(n-m) read by rows.

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A181711 Numbers of the form m*(2^k-1), where m = 2^(k-1)*(2^k-1) is a perfect number (A000396).

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A189410 The least common multiple of a perfect number (A000396) and its arithmetic derivative (A003415).

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A195864 Numbers k such that sigma(k) + tau(k) is a perfect number (A000396).

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A259931 Decimal expansion of the sum of the reciprocals of the averages of adjacent pairs of perfect numbers (A000396).

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A261827 Decimal expansion of the number whose continued fraction expansion consists of the perfect numbers (A000396).

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A382930 a(n) is the smallest k such that A382506(k) + sigma(k) = A000396(n).

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A000203 a(n) = sigma(n), the sum of the divisors of n. Also called sigma_1(n).

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A181711 Numbers of the form m(2^k-1), where m = 2^(k-1)(2^k-1) is a perfect number (A000396).