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hi tl i saw a few math topics recently and noticed there are some good mathematics here. i have a prime number problem and can't solve it.
lets look at this progression (is progression the right word?)
with ![[image loading]](http://s3.imgimg.de/uploads/latex2pngad1d8bebphpad1d8bebpng.png)
it produces:
2 3 7 127 ...
how can i prove that every number coming of this progression is prime? if that's not possible, how can i disprove it?
ty 
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I haven't done mathematical proofs in donkey's years, but I recall the easiest way to disprove something is to find one specific scenario where the rule doesn't work. That's enough to can the whole formula.
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the problem is that the numbers get really high really fast. after 127 comes 2^127-1 ... (which is prime)
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Will do.
Anyone with a supercomp here? Need a5 - a100 :D
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:\ can't you google your homework?
The proof is on wiki.
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If his homework is interesting in and of itself and generates discussion I think he has the right to share it. Of course math isn't my strong suit so I can't say if its interesting or not :p
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On April 22 2011 08:03 Starfox wrote:You are looking at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mersenne_prime basically. If you'd be abelt to proof that every step produces a prime you would be the candidate for the next fields medal for sure. :D
Isn't there a cash bounty for calculating new Mersenne primes?
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Well...a tiny subset of Mersenne primes, anyway.
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I was thinking about how to prove it using fermat's little theorem... but according to wiki it is still an open question
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalan's_Mersenne_conjecture#Catalan-Mersenne_number
"Although the first five terms (up to M(127)) are prime, no known methods can decide if any more of these numbers are prime (in any reasonable time) simply because the numbers in question are too huge, unless a factor of M(M(127)) is discovered."
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[edit] sorry, I don't know what I am talking about.
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On April 22 2011 08:05 graNite wrote: Will do.
Anyone with a supercomp here? Need a5 - a100 :D I don't think any computer will help you to do that. a5 = M127 and is a prime, but above that you are too far out.
If you would be able to prove your statement, then you would have solved one of important unsolved mathematical problems and I do not think anyone here can really help you with that Basically if I see it correctly you would have proven that there is infinite number of Mersenne primes.
EDIT:typo
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RECURSIVE INDUCTION FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU Just finished a course on this stuff, but I've forgotten most of it sorry man. Best of luck though
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i tried ..
(01:24) gp > a = 2 %1 = 2 (01:24) gp > a = 2 ^ a - 1 %2 = 3 (01:24) gp > a = 2 ^ a - 1 %3 = 7 (01:24) gp > a = 2 ^ a - 1 %4 = 127 (01:24) gp > a = 2 ^ a - 1 %5 = 170141183460469231731687303715884105727 (01:24) gp > a = 2 ^ a - 1 *** length (lg) overflow
so .. a5 works, a6 does not work anymore^^ it's a little big.
so for a5:
(01:24) gp > a %6 = 170141183460469231731687303715884105727 (01:25) gp > factor(a) %7 = [170141183460469231731687303715884105727 1]
meaning a5 is still prime.
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2^67 - 1 = 147,573,952,589,676,412,927 = 193,707,721 x 761,838,257,287
So 2^67 isn't prime : ]
Cheers!
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Oh shit I misread your post, I thought you were asking about Marsenne primes in general. Agh I'm such a doof
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Can we start nominating Day9 for the fields medal yet?
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If there were a way to prove that this progression results in primes then people wouldn't be paid $100,000 to find the next largest prime, since 2^a_n - 1 where an is some arbitrarily large prime in that sequence is prime.... we could theoretically have infinitely many large primer numbers, bigger than the largest known prime number.... unless my logic doesnt follow
But what you might say is that youre looking for an upper bound on n for which this statement holds true?
In that case, run a fast fourier transform primality test on a supercomputer with this progession, and hope there exists an n which breaks this progression
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omg i just screamed when i saw you on my thread, becuase i saw your math vid on youtube 
pls solve this one !! :D
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2^8 = 256. (2^8)-1 = 255. 255 is not prime. Am i doing this right?
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