Amicable numbers are two different
numbers so related that the
sum of the
proper divisors of each is equal to the other number. (A proper divisor of a number is a positive factor of that number other than the number itself. For example, the proper divisors of 6 are 1, 2, and 3.) A pair of amicable numbers constitutes an
aliquot sequence of
period 2. A related concept is that of a
perfect number, which is a number that equals the sum of
its own proper divisors, in other words a number which forms an aliquot sequence of period 1. Numbers that are members of an aliquot sequence with period greater than 2 are known as
sociable numbers.