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Source labels openChecked July 26, 2026

Erdős ProblemsNumber theory

Erdős Problem 409: Sigma Termination

If n>1n > 1 then the iteration nσ(n)1n\mapsto\sigma(n) - 1 necessarily reaches a prime. Note: this is open , it is not clear that the σ iteration always terminates, since it is non-decreasing (unlike the φ iteration which is strictly decreasing).

Mathematical statement

If n>1n > 1 then the iteration nσ(n)1n\mapsto\sigma(n) - 1 necessarily reaches a prime. Note: this is open , it is not clear that the σ iteration always terminates, since it is non-decreasing (unlike the φ iteration which is strictly decreasing).

Statement source: Erdős Problems statement material

Statement terms: Source-specific

Source-specific terms. Therefore does not assert reuse rights beyond attributed display.

Statement artifacts, not proofs

These records expose exact Lean propositions and statement-only wrappers. Defining a proposition does not supply a proof of it. A placeholder-bearing target also contains no proof. Elaboration checks syntax and types; it does not certify that a formalization perfectly captures every nuance of the informal problem.

Pinned Lean formulation 1

erdos_409.variants.sigma_termination

Canonical source
Complete statement target, proof intentionally absentLean 4
theorem erdos_409.variants.sigma_termination (n : ) (hn : n > 1) :     i, (σ 1 · - 1)^[i] n |>.Prime := by  sorry
Statement source
Formal Conjectures
Lean version
v4.27.0
Placeholder
Present; no proof artifact
Source evidence
Pinned source index
Fidelity review
Community formulation

References