Multiplicative function
Outside number theory, the term multiplicative Other examples of multiplicative functions include many
function is usually used for completely multi-
plicative functions. This article discusses num-
ber theoretic multiplicative functions.
In number theory, a multiplicative function is an
arithmetic function f(n) of a positive integer n with the
property that f(1) = 1 and whenever a and b are coprime,
then
f(ab) = f(a) f(b).
An arithmetic function f(n) is said to be completely mul-
tiplicative (or totally multiplicative) if f(1) = 1 and
f(ab) = f(a) f(b) holds for all positive integers a and b,
even when they are not coprime.
1 Examples
Some multiplicative functions are dened to make formu-
las easier to write:
1(n): the constant function, dened by 1(n) = 1
(completely multiplicative)
Id(n): identity function, dened by Id(n) = n (com-
pletely multiplicative)
Idk(n): the power functions, dened by Idk(n) = nk
for any complex number k (completely multiplica-
tive). As special cases we have
Id0 (n) = 1(n) and
Id1 (n) = Id(n).
(n): the function dened by (n) = 1 if n = 1 and
0 otherwise, sometimes called multiplication unit
for Dirichlet convolution or simply the unit function
(completely multiplicative). Sometimes written as An example of a non-multiplicative function is the arith-
u(n), but not to be confused with (n) .
1C(n), the indicator function of the set C Z, for
certain sets C. The indicator function 1C(n) is mul-
tiplicative precisely when the set C has the following
property for any coprime numbers a and b: the prod-
uct ab is in C if and only if the numbers a and b are
both themselves in C. This is the case if C is the set
of squares, cubes, or k-th powers, or if C is the set and therefore r2 (1) = 4 1. This shows that the function
of square-free numbers.
functions of importance in number theory, such as:
gcd(n,k): the greatest common divisor of n and k, as
a function of n, where k is a xed integer.
(n): Eulers totient function , counting the pos-
itive integers coprime to (but not bigger than) n
(n): the Mbius function, the parity (1 for odd, +1
for even) of the number of prime factors of square-
free numbers; 0 if n is not square-free
k(n): the divisor function, which is the sum of the
k-th powers of all the positive divisors of n (where
k may be any complex number). Special cases we
have
0 (n) = d(n) the number of positive divisors of
n,
1 (n) = (n), the sum of all the positive divi-
sors of n.
a(n): the number of non-isomorphic abelian groups
of order n.
(n): the Liouville function, (n) = (1)(n) where
(n) is the total number of primes (counted with
multiplicity) dividing n. (completely multiplicative).
(n), dened by (n) = (1)(n) , where the additive
function (n) is the number of distinct primes di-
viding n.
(n): the Ramanujan tau function.
All Dirichlet characters are completely multiplica-
tive functions. For example
(n/p), the Legendre symbol, considered as a
function of n where p is a xed prime number.
metic function r2(n) - the number of representations of n
as a sum of squares of two integers, positive, negative, or
zero, where in counting the number of ways, reversal of
order is allowed. For example:
1 = 12 + 02 = (1)2 + 02 = 02 + 12 = 02 + (1)2
is not multiplicative. However, r2 (n)/4 is multiplicative.
1
2 4 MULTIPLICATIVE FUNCTION OVER FQ[X]

In the On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences, * 1 = (the Mbius inversion formula)

sequences of values of a multiplicative function have the
keyword mult. ( Idk) * Idk = (generalized Mbius inversion)

See arithmetic function for some other examples of non- * 1 = Id

multiplicative functions.
d=1*1

= Id * 1 = * d
2 Properties
k = Idk * 1
A multiplicative function is completely determined by its Id = * 1 = *
values at the powers of prime numbers, a consequence
of the fundamental theorem of arithmetic. Thus, if n is Idk = k *
a b
a product of powers of distinct primes, say n = p q ...,
then f(n) = f(pa ) f(qb ) ... The Dirichlet convolution can be dened for general
This property of multiplicative functions signicantly re- arithmetic functions, and yields a ring structure, the
duces the need for computation, as in the following ex- Dirichlet ring.
amples for n = 144 = 24 32 :

d(144) = 0 (144) = 0 (24 )0 (32 ) = (10 + 20 + 3.1 Dirichlet series for some multiplicative
40 + 80 + 160 )(10 + 30 + 90 ) = 5 3 = 15, functions
(144) = 1 (144) = 1 (24 )1 (32 ) = (11 + 21 + (n)
n1 ns = 1
(s)
41 + 81 + 161 )(11 + 31 + 91 ) = 31 13 = 403,

* (144) = * (24 )* (32 ) = (11 + 161 )(11 + 91 ) (n)
= (s1)
n1 ns (s)
= 17 10 = 170.
d(n)2 (s)4
n1 ns = (2s)
Similarly, we have:
2(n) (s)2
4 2
n1 ns = (2s)
(144)= (2 ) (3 ) = 8 6 = 48

In general, if f(n) is a multiplicative function and a, b are More examples are shown in the article on Dirichlet se-
any two positive integers, then ries.

f(a) f(b) = f(gcd(a,b)) f(lcm(a,b)).

4 Multiplicative function over
Every completely multiplicative function is a F [X]
homomorphism of monoids and is completely de-
termined by its restriction to the prime numbers.
Let A=F [X], the polynomial ring over the nite eld with
q elements. A is principal ideal domain and therefore A
is unique factorization domain.
3 Convolution
a complex-valued function on A is called multiplica-
tive if (f g) = (f )(g) , whenever f and g are
If f and g are two multiplicative functions, one denes a
relatively prime.
new multiplicative function f * g, the Dirichlet convolu-
tion of f and g, by
4.1 Zeta function and Dirichlet series in
(n)
(f g)(n) = f (d) g
F [X]
d
d|n
Let h be a polynomial arithmetic function (i.e. a function
where the sum extends over all positive divisors d of n. on set of monic polynomials over A). Its corresponding
With this operation, the set of all multiplicative func- Dirichlet series dene to be
tions turns into an abelian group; the identity element is .
Dh (s) = f monic h(f )|f |s ,
Convolution is commutative, associative, and distributive
over addition. where for g A , set |g| = q deg(g) if g = 0 , and |g| = 0
Relations among the multiplicative functions discussed otherwise.
above include: The polynomial zeta function is then
 3

A (s) = f monic |f |s .
Similar to the situation in N, every Dirichlet series of
a multiplicative function h has a product representation
(Euler product):

Dh (s) = P ( n=0 h(P n )|P |sn ) ,
Where the product runs over all monic irreducible poly-
nomials P.
For example, the product representation
of the zeta func-
tion is as for the integers: A (s) = P (1 |P |s )1
.
Unlike the classical zeta function, A (s) is a simple ratio-
nal function:

A (s) = (|f |s ) = deg(f)=n q
sn
=
nsn f
1s 1
n
n (q ) = (1 q ) .
In a similar way, If and g are two polynomial arithmetic
functions, one denes * g, the Dirichlet convolution of
and g, by

(m)
(f g)(m) = f (d)g
d
d|m

= f (a)g(b)
ab = m

where the sum extends over all monic divisors d of m,

or equivalently over all pairs (a, b) of monic polynomials
whose product is m. The identity Dh Dg = Dhg still
holds.

5 See also
Euler product
Bell series

Lambert series

6 References
See chapter 2 of Apostol, Tom M. (1976), Introduc-
tion to analytic number theory, Undergraduate Texts
in Mathematics, New York-Heidelberg: Springer-
Verlag, ISBN 978-0-387-90163-3, MR 0434929,
Zbl 0335.10001

7 External links
Planet Math
4 8 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

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