Euclid’s proof of the infinitude of primes
If there were only a finite amount of primes then there would be some largest prime p. However p!+1 is not divisible by any number 1<n≤p, since p! is, so p!+1 cannot be factored by the primes we already know, but every integer greater than one is divisible by at least one prime, so there must be some prime greater than p by which p!+1 is divisible.
Actually Euclid did not use p! for his proof but stated that if there were a finite list p1,…,pn of primes, then the number p1⋯pn+1 is not divisible by any of these primes and thus either prime and not in the list or divisible by a prime not in the list.
Title | Euclid’s proof of the infinitude of primes |
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Canonical name | EuclidsProofOfTheInfinitudeOfPrimes |
Date of creation | 2013-03-22 12:44:07 |
Last modified on | 2013-03-22 12:44:07 |
Owner | mathwizard (128) |
Last modified by | mathwizard (128) |
Numerical id | 9 |
Author | mathwizard (128) |
Entry type | Proof |
Classification | msc 11A41 |