The proper divisors of 12 are 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6. A proper divisor of an integer $N$ is a positive divisor of $N$ that is less than $N$. What is the sum of the proper divisors of the sum of the proper divisors of 284?
Prime factorize $284=2^2\cdot71$. The sum of the proper divisors of $284$ is
\begin{align*}
1+2+2^2+71+2 \cdot 71 &= (1+2+2^2)(1+71)-284 \\
&= 220 \\
&= 2^2\cdot5\cdot11.
\end{align*}Here we have used the observation that multiplying out $(1+2+2^2)(1+71)$ by distributing yields an expression which is the sum of all $6$ factors of $284.$ Applying this observation again, we find that the sum of the proper divisors of $220$ is $$(1+2+2^2)(1+5)(1+11)-220=7\cdot 6\cdot 12-220=\boxed{284}.$$