The distribution of integers with at least two divisors in a short interval

Kevin Ford, Gerald Tenenbaum

Published 2006-07-19, updated 2007-02-09Version 3

Let H(x,y,z) be the number of integers $\le x$ with a divisor in (y,z] and let H_1(x,y,z) be the number of integers $\le x$ with exactly one such divisor. When y and z are close, it is expected that H_1(x,y,z) H(x,y,z), that is, an integer with a divisor in (y,z] usually has just one. We determine necessary and sufficient conditions on y and z so that H_1(x,y,z) H(x,y,z). In doing so, we answer an open question from the paper "The distribution of integers with a divisor in a given interval", math.NT/0401223.