Exercise · ZW-MOBIUS-FUNCTION-004 · ★★☆ Intermediate

If \(n\) is a product of 4 distinct primes, what is \(\mu(n)\)?

Choose one option.

Show answer
  • C. 1

Explanation

With 4 distinct primes and no repeated factor, \(\mu(n)=(-1)^4=1\); the sign depends on the parity of the number of primes.

Study Elementary number theory in ZWMath →

Review the concept: Möbius function

The Möbius function \(\mu(n)\) is an arithmetic function: it equals \(1\) if \(n=1\), \((-1)^k\) if \(n\) is a product of \(k\) distinct primes, and \(0\) if \(n\) has a repeated prime factor.

\[\sum_{d\mid n}\mu(d)=\begin{cases}1 & n=1\\ 0 & n>1\end{cases}\]

More practice problems: möbius function

← ZW-MOBIUS-FUNCTION-003 ZW-MOBIUS-FUNCTION-005 →