Next Question

Mahalo is adding a tip to all questions that don't offer a tip.
M$1.00 Funded By Mahalo ? |
May 07, 2009 03:34 AM
are prime numbers finite?
Email to a friend |
RSS
No Best Answer Selected
"Theorem: There are infinitely many prime numbers.
Proof:
Suppose the opposite, that is, that there are a finite number of prime numbers. Call them p1, p2, p3, p4,....,pn. Now consider the number
(p1*p2*p3*...*pn)+1
Every prime number, when divided into this number, leaves a remainder of one. So this number has no prime factors (remember, by assumption, it's not prime itself). This is a contradiction. Thus there must, in fact, be infinitely many primes."
Source(s):
http://mathforum.org/isaac/problems/prime1.html
Permalink | Report
Question

Mahalo is adding a tip to all questions that don't offer a tip.
are prime numbers finite?
prove it.
Interesting Question?
Yes (0)
No (0)
- About Prime Numbers |
- In Science & Mathematics |
- |
- Report |
-
Share
RSS
No Best Answer Selected
Answers (1)
May 07, 2009 03:45 AM
Euclid says not. "Theorem: There are infinitely many prime numbers.
Proof:
Suppose the opposite, that is, that there are a finite number of prime numbers. Call them p1, p2, p3, p4,....,pn. Now consider the number
(p1*p2*p3*...*pn)+1
Every prime number, when divided into this number, leaves a remainder of one. So this number has no prime factors (remember, by assumption, it's not prime itself). This is a contradiction. Thus there must, in fact, be infinitely many primes."
Source(s):
http://mathforum.org/isaac/problems/prime1.html
Permalink | Report
Answer this Question
Related Questions
Ask a Question
Buy Mahalo Dollars with Credit Card or PayPal
Top Members
Most Popular Tags
Categories
- Anonymous
- Arts & Design
- Beauty & Style
- Books & Authors
- Business
- Cars & Transportation
- Consumer Electronics
- Coupons Deals
- Education
- Entertainment
- Environment
- Fitness
- Food & Drink
- From Email
- From Iphone
- From Twitter
- Health
- History
- Hobbies
- Home & Garden
- How Tos
- Humor
- Jobs
- Legal
- Local
- Love & Relationships
- Mahalo Answers Community
- Money
- Music
- News
- NSFW
- Parenting
- Pets
- Science & Mathematics
- Services
- Shopping
- Social Science
- Society & Culture
- Sports
- Technology & Internet
- Travel
- Video Games
Welcome New Members
- fb_556143087, December 07, 2009 09:17 AM
- anamasad, December 07, 2009 09:09 AM
- niharikaamin, December 07, 2009 09:09 AM
- emma97, December 07, 2009 09:04 AM
- yobbogarcia, December 07, 2009 09:02 AM
Mahalo Dollars are the currency of Mahalo Answers.
Each Mahalo Dollar costs $1.
Once you earn more than 40 Mahalo Dollars, you can request to be paid via PayPal. Each Mahalo Dollar is currently worth $0.75 when paid out via PayPal. Learn More
