Content about “
perfect number

Article

Perfectly even

After 2000 years of searching we only know of 51 perfect numbers and they're all even. What else do and don't we know about these rare and precious jewels of maths?

Article

Perfectly odd

Nobody has ever found an odd perfect number. So do they exist at all and, if yes, what do they look like?
Blog post

Maths in a minute: Number mysteries

Number theory is famous for problems that everyone can understand and that are easy to express, but that are fiendishly difficult to prove. Here are some of our favourites.