# Prime numbers info

• May 18th 2006, 05:44 PM
OReilly
Prime numbers info
How many prime numbers has been discovered to this day and what is at the moment highest prime number?
• May 18th 2006, 06:06 PM
ThePerfectHacker
Quote:

Originally Posted by OReilly
How many prime numbers has been discovered to this day and what is at the moment highest prime number?

Many. Hope that helps.

There is a class of primes called "Mersenne Primes" they have form $2^n-1$. One interesting fact is that if this number is prime then $n$ must it self be prime! If I remember properly-(I might be wrong)that,
$2^{65537}-1$ is prime,
I only remember that because
$65537=2^{2^4}+1$ a Fermat prime.
I think it might be among the highest.
• May 18th 2006, 08:33 PM
CaptainBlack
Quote:

Originally Posted by ThePerfectHacker
Many. Hope that helps.

There is a class of primes called "Mersenne Primes" they have form $2^n-1$. One interesting fact is that if this number is prime then $n$ must it self be prime! If I remember properly-(I might be wrong)that,
$2^{65537}-1$ is prime,
I only remember that because
$65537=2^{2^4}+1$ a Fermat prime.
I think it might be among the highest.

As of Dec 2005 the record holder is: $2^{30402457}-1$

RonL
• May 18th 2006, 10:24 PM
rgep
There are many resources listed in the Open Directory Project.

• May 19th 2006, 09:32 AM
ThePerfectHacker
Yet no-one was able to develope a prime producing algorithm.
• May 20th 2006, 04:02 AM
topsquark
Quote:

Originally Posted by ThePerfectHacker
Yet no-one was able to develope a prime producing algorithm.

I have one, but it's too long to post here. (Actually I'm just saying that because I'm going on a trip next weekend and if I die this will give me something to be famous for!)

-Dan
• May 20th 2006, 04:41 AM
Quote:

Originally Posted by topsquark
I have one, but it's too long to post here. (Actually I'm just saying that because I'm going on a trip next weekend and if I die this will give me something to be famous for!)

-Dan

that was hardy's trick :)
or atleast he thought god would therefore not let him die, as to not let him die with posthumous fame, like fermat's last theorem.
• May 20th 2006, 07:07 PM
ThePerfectHacker
Quote:

Originally Posted by topsquark
I have one, but it's too long to post here. (Actually I'm just saying that because I'm going on a trip next weekend and if I die this will give me something to be famous for!)

-Dan

I hope you are serious.

Anyway, it cannot be a polynomial remember that.