Thread: please help!

hi, I am having trouble proving or disproving these two:

First:

If p is a prime number, must 2^p - 1 also be prime? Prove or give a counterexample.

Second:

If n is a nonnegative integer, must 2^(2^n) + 1 be prime? Prove of give a couterexample.

Thank you so much.

Originally Posted by dahamalian2000

hi, I am having trouble proving or disproving these two:

First:

If p is a prime number, must 2^p - 1 also be prime? Prove or give a counterexample.

RonL

Originally Posted by dahamalian2000

Second:

If n is a nonnegative integer, must 2^(2^n) + 1 be prime? Prove of give a couterexample.

RonL

Thanks! But do you know a way to generally disprove it, using variables?

Thank again,
David

Originally Posted by dahamalian2000

Thanks! But do you know a way to generally disprove it, using variables?

Thank again,
David

No

RonL

Originally Posted by dahamalian2000

Thanks! But do you know a way to generally disprove it, using variables?

Thank again,
David

NOT even Fermat himself had a way to disprove it with
variables.