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How to identify a prime number without a computer

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-identify-a-prime-number-without-a-computer/
22•beardyw•1w ago

Comments

politelemon•1h ago
This is behind a paywall. "A Subscription Is Required to Continue Reading"
xeonmc•1h ago
I guess that's the answer then -- you need a subscription instead of a computer.
zamadatix•1h ago
The scourge of HN submission rules - "you can submit anything and it's up to everyone else to actually be able to access it".

https://archive.is/8R0Fq

Terr_•1h ago
If I had my 'druthers designing a new link-share/comment system, the visibility (and mirrors or excerpts) for the target would be part of the model.

In other words, an icon showing whatever-wall status, submitter can add an alternate link, etc.

NSPG911•13m ago
i found out that most articles behind paywalls dont even need the wayback machine to be viewed

if you are using firefox, just enter reading mode and you can read the entire article without popups in your preferred background, text color, font, etc

Nevermark•1h ago
Just grab some paper, a pen, and check that no number equal or smaller than its square root divides into it evenly.

That is it. That is all. Pish posh.

WCSTombs•1h ago
The example given in the article is 2^127 - 1, which was historically proved to be prime without computers using a clever method now known as the Lucas-Lehmer test. Your algorithm is not practical for that number.
great_wubwub•1h ago
/r/whoosh
Nevermark•13m ago
Ah, but I can assure you, it is just that simple.

If a number is not prime, then it is the product of at least two numbers smaller than itself.

If any of them are larger than its square root, all others must be smaller, or their product would be larger than the candidate prime.

Ergo, just check that the candidate is not evenly divisible by any number equal or lower than its square root.

This reasoning holds, independent of scale.

QED. Check mate. Shazam.

IsTom•56m ago
My favourite prime checking algorithm is that for n < 100 if it looks prime, it is prime.
throwaway81523•51m ago
Like the famous Grothendieck prime of course.
xorbax•48m ago
Definitely makes me feel better about my own work
emaccumber•44m ago
The annoying child in me will always remember correcting my freshman math teacher when he needed a prime number and wrote 91 on the chalkboard.
GMoromisato•14m ago
Are there any numbers that don't look prime but are, in fact, prime? [Other than 2, I suppose.]

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How to identify a prime number without a computer

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-identify-a-prime-number-without-a-computer/
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