Re: Prime Numbers

Jeremy Cooper writes:

I found something interesting that I have not proven, but it has not failed yet:

The integer N is prime if:

2^N - 2 --------- N is an integer.

This is fermat's little theorem. What you have written basically says 2^N - 2 = 0 (mod N) or 2^(N-1) = 1 (mod N). Note, the converse doesn't apply. If (2^N-2)/N is an integer, N isn't neccessarily prime. For example, take N=561=(3*11*37) For extra credit, prove your hypothesis. ;-) -Ray -- Ray Cromwell | Engineering is the implementation of science; -- -- rjc@gnu.ai.mit.edu | politics is the implementation of faith. --