Erdős-Selfridge classification of primes


Paul Erdős and John Selfridge classified primes p thus: If the largest prime factor of p+1 is 2 or 3, then p is in class 1+. Otherwise, assign to c the class of the largest prime factor of p+1, then p is in class (c+1)+. Class 1+ primes are of the form 2i3j-1 for i>-1 and j>-1.

According to this scheme, p<200 are sorted thus:

Class 1+: 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 17, 23, 31, 47, 53, 71, 107, 127, 191 ( listed in A005105 of Sloane’s OEIS)

Class 2+: 13, 19, 29, 41, 43, 59, 61, 67, 79, 83, 89, 97, 101, 109, 131, 137, 139, 149, 167, 179, 197, 199 (A005106)

Class 3+: 37, 103, 113, 151, 157, 163, 173, 181, 193 (A005107)

Class 4+: 73

A005113 lists the smallest prime of class n+.

Clearly, all Mersenne primesMathworldPlanetmath are class 1+. The known Fermat primesMathworldPlanetmath show slightly more variety: 257 is class 3+ while 65537 is class 4+.

References

  • 1 R. K. Guy, Unsolved Problems in Number TheoryMathworldPlanetmathPlanetmath. New York: Springer-Verlag (2004)
Title Erdős-Selfridge classification of primes
Canonical name ErdHosSelfridgeClassificationOfPrimes
Date of creation 2013-03-22 16:05:02
Last modified on 2013-03-22 16:05:02
Owner PrimeFan (13766)
Last modified by PrimeFan (13766)
Numerical id 5
Author PrimeFan (13766)
Entry type Definition
Classification msc 11A51
Synonym Erdos-Selfridge classification of primes