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Science in the News Twelve-Year Search Uncovers Two Massive Prime Numbers
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2008 10:06:40 -0400
Begin forwarded message:
from the San Diego Union-Tribune (Registration Required)
Quick, what's the biggest prime number you know? OK, here's some help:
A prime number is a number divisible only by 1 and itself. Most folks
can recite a handful of prime numbers, usually the first few: 2, 3, 5,
7, 11 and so on.
According to the Greek mathematician Euclid, who invented geometry a
few thousand years ago, there's actually no end to prime numbers. They
just go on forever.
[Last] week, two groups of mathematicians, including a San Diegan,
announced they had discovered the two largest prime numbers yet.
Neither goes on forever, but both numbers are too big to be printed in
full here: One is 12,978,189 digits long; the other is 11,185,272
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- Science in the News Twelve-Year Search Uncovers Two Massive Prime Numbers David Farber (Sep 22)