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Difference between revisions of "Multiplicative function"
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A '''multiplicative function''' <math>f</math> is a [[function]] such that <math>f(x\cdot y) = f(x) \cdot f(y)</math> for all <math>x, y</math>.  That is, <math>f</math> [[commute]]s with multiplication.  Multiplicative functions arise most commonly in the field of [[number theory]], where an alternate definition is often used: a function from the [[positive integer]]s to the [[complex number]]s is said to be ''multiplicative'' if <math>f(m \cdot n) = f(m) \cdot f(n)</math> for all ''[[relatively prime]]'' <math>m, n</math>.
  
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A '''multiplicative function''' <math>f : S \to T</math> is a [[function]] which [[commute]]s with multiplication.  That is, <math>S</math> and <math>T</math> must be [[set]]s with multiplication such that <math>f(x\cdot y) = f(x) \cdot f(y)</math> for all <math>x, y \in S</math>, i.e. it preserves the multiplicative structure. A prominent special case of this would be a homomorphism between groups, which preserves the whole group structure (inverses and identity in addition to multiplication).
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The function <math>f</math> defined on the [[real numbers]] by <math>f(x) = x^2</math> is a simple example of a multiplicative function.
  
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Most frequently, one deals with multiplicative functions <math>f : \mathbb{Z}_{>0} \to \mathbb{C}</math>.  These functions appear frequently in [[number theory]], especially in [[analytic number theory]].  In this case, one sometimes also defines ''weak multiplicative functions'': a function <math>f: \mathbb{Z}_{>0} \to \mathbb{C}</math> is weak multiplicative if and only if <math>f(mn) = f(m)f(n)</math> for all pairs of [[relatively prime]] [[integer]]s <math>(m, n)</math>.
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For a function <math>f : S \to T</math> to be multiplicative, the [[domain]] <math>S</math> and [[range]] <math>T</math> must be [[set]]s with multiplication.  Then <math>f(x\cdot y) = f(x) \cdot f(y)</math> means that <math>f</math> preserves the multiplicative structure.  One prominent class of functions with this property are [[homomorphism]]s of [[group]]s (where the [[group operation]] is multiplication). 
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== Multiplicative functions in number theory ==
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Multiplicative functions are of special importance in the field of [[analytic number theory]].  In this context, one works with multiplicative functions <math>f : \mathbb{Z}_{>0} \to \mathbb{C}</math>.   
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In this case, one sometimes also defines ''weak multiplicative functions'': a function <math>f: \mathbb{Z}_{>0} \to \mathbb{C}</math> is weak multiplicative if and only if <math>f(mn) = f(m)f(n)</math> for all pairs of ''[[relatively prime]]'' [[positive integer]]s <math>(m, n)</math>.  If actually <math>f(mn) = f(m)f(n)</math> for all positive integers <math>m, n</math>, we say that <math>f</math> is ''strongly multiplicative'' (but this notion is of less central importance).
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Examples of multiplicative functions in elementary number theory include the [[identity map]], the [[divisor function]] <math>d(n)</math> that gives the number of [[divisor]]s of the integer <math>n</math>, the [[sum of divisors function]] <math>\sigma(n)</math> that gives the sum of divisors of the integer <math>n</math> (and its generalization <math>\sigma_k(n) = \sum_{d|n}d^k</math>), [[Euler's totient function]] <math>\phi(n)</math>, and the [[Mobius function]] <math>\mu(n)</math>.
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Let <math>f(n)</math> be multiplicative in the number theoretic sense ("weak multiplicative"). Then the function <math>g(n)</math> defined by <cmath>g(n) = \sum_{d|n} f(d)</cmath> is also multiplicative.  In this situation, the [[Mobius inversion formula]] allows us to write <math>f(n)</math> in terms of <math>g(n)</math>.
  
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Let <math>f(n)</math> and <math>g(n)</math> be multiplicative in the number theoretic sense ("weak multiplicative"). Then the function of <math>n</math> defined by <cmath>\sum_{d|n} f(d) g(\frac{n}{d})</cmath> is also multiplicative; the Mobius inversion formula relates these two quantities.
 
  
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Examples in elementary number theory include the identity map, <math>d(n)</math> the number of divisors, <math>\sigma(n)</math> the sum of divisors (and its generalization <math>\sigma_k(n) = \sum_{d|n}d^k</math>, <math>\phi(n)</math> the Euler phi function, <math>\tau(n)</math> the number of divisors (also denoted <math>\sigma_0(n)</math>, $\mu(
 
 
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[[Category:Definition]]
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[[Category:Number theory]]

Latest revision as of 11:59, 21 July 2009

A multiplicative function $f$ is a function such that $f(x\cdot y) = f(x) \cdot f(y)$ for all $x, y$. That is, $f$ commutes with multiplication. Multiplicative functions arise most commonly in the field of number theory, where an alternate definition is often used: a function from the positive integers to the complex numbers is said to be multiplicative if $f(m \cdot n) = f(m) \cdot f(n)$ for all relatively prime $m, n$.

The function $f$ defined on the real numbers by $f(x) = x^2$ is a simple example of a multiplicative function.

For a function $f : S \to T$ to be multiplicative, the domain $S$ and range $T$ must be sets with multiplication. Then $f(x\cdot y) = f(x) \cdot f(y)$ means that $f$ preserves the multiplicative structure. One prominent class of functions with this property are homomorphisms of groups (where the group operation is multiplication).

Multiplicative functions in number theory

Multiplicative functions are of special importance in the field of analytic number theory. In this context, one works with multiplicative functions $f : \mathbb{Z}_{>0} \to \mathbb{C}$.

In this case, one sometimes also defines weak multiplicative functions: a function $f: \mathbb{Z}_{>0} \to \mathbb{C}$ is weak multiplicative if and only if $f(mn) = f(m)f(n)$ for all pairs of relatively prime positive integers $(m, n)$. If actually $f(mn) = f(m)f(n)$ for all positive integers $m, n$, we say that $f$ is strongly multiplicative (but this notion is of less central importance).

Examples of multiplicative functions in elementary number theory include the identity map, the divisor function $d(n)$ that gives the number of divisors of the integer $n$, the sum of divisors function $\sigma(n)$ that gives the sum of divisors of the integer $n$ (and its generalization $\sigma_k(n) = \sum_{d|n}d^k$), Euler's totient function $\phi(n)$, and the Mobius function $\mu(n)$.

Let $f(n)$ be multiplicative in the number theoretic sense ("weak multiplicative"). Then the function $g(n)$ defined by \[g(n) = \sum_{d|n} f(d)\] is also multiplicative. In this situation, the Mobius inversion formula allows us to write $f(n)$ in terms of $g(n)$.


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