|
◄ Index |
|
|
|
|
|
◄ Main essay |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
View
pages by selecting the Tabs below: Prime|Trim|Compact|1964|JCPM|Comments |
|
|
|
|
|
Two Series containing
the Primes and a |
|
|
Conjecture concerning
the Prime Difference |
|
|
A constructive attitude
towards prime Numbers |
|
|
B. S. Anand (28/08/1964) |
|
|
|
| I |
Hardy
and Wright ask some natural questions regarding primes in their |
|
|
introductory
book on number theory. Which suggest the related enquiry |
|
|
as
to the smallest prime greater than a given positive integer x. |
|
|
A constructive reply is
easily obtained. |
|
|
|
|
I
consider that multiple of p - a prime smaller than x - which immediately |
|
|
exceeds x. |
|
|
|
|
The smallest odd number
not amongst such multiples is the required prime. |
|
|
|
|
With
minor refinements, this result may be used to construct the prime |
|
|
series.
As distinct from the sieve of Erastosthenes where the primes are |
|
|
discovered
amongst the series of integers. A construction which I now |
|
|
proceed
to develop formally. And which may have some significance in an |
|
|
age of computers. |
|
|
|
| II |
The
primes smaller than x I take to be p(i) for i = 1 to n. With p(1) = 2. |
|
|
And p(n) as the n'th
prime, immediately smaller than x. |
|
|
|
|
I have the congruences: |
|
|
|
|
x + a(i) ≡ 0 (mod
p(i)) ... 0 ≤ a(i) < p(i) |
|
|
|
|
I
can form the class {a(i)} of residues a(i) mod p(i). Any member of this, |
|
|
when added to x, gives
an integer divisible by p(i). |
|
|
|
|
But
what interests me more are the integers not divisible by p(i). So I form |
|
|
the complement of {a(i)}
in the non-negative integers. And denote it by |
|
|
{a(i)}*. It is non-empty as it contains a(i)
+ 1. |
|
|
|
|
Now,
a common member of these classes {a(i)}*, when added to x, |
|
|
yields
an integer not divisible by any p(i). The solutions y of the n |
|
|
simultaneous
congruences: |
|
|
|
|
y ≡ a(i) + 1 (mod
p(i)) |
|
|
|
|
being such common
elements, ∩{a(i)}* is not empty. |
|
|
|
|
I denote its smallest
member by y(m). |
|
|
|
|
In
case x is composite, this gives x + y(m) as the smallest prime |
|
|
greater
than x. |
|
|
|
| III |
There
is a useful result in connection with primes. That only the primes |
|
|
smaller than the square
root of x are necessary to test its primality. |
|
|
|
|
So I am suggested the
theorem: |
|
|
|
|
For every w satisfying: |
|
|
|
|
(i) w is in
∩{a(i)}*, w - y(m) < (x + y(m))*(x + y(m-1)), if x is composite; |
|
|
|
|
(ii) w is in
∩{a(i), b}*, w < x*(x = 1), if x is prime; |
|
|
|
|
the integer x + w is a
prime. |
|
|
|
| IV |
The
reasoning in I and II may be graphically presented by means of the |
|
|
attached
prime number construction charts, where I work directly with |
|
|
the
various a(i)'s, instead of their residue classes, which results in the |
|
|
occurence of some
composite numbers, as indicated. |
|
|
|
|
I
illustrate the method of construction by considering, say, the k'th row
which |
|
|
has no zeros. |
|
|
|
|
|
p(1) |
p(2) |
... |
p(i) |
... |
|
|
|
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
|
|
|
... |
... |
... |
... |
... |
|
|
k |
p(n) |
a(1, k) |
a(2, k) |
... |
a(i, k) |
... |
|
|
|
|
Here, for i < n, 0
< a(i, k) < p(i): |
|
|
|
|
(i) |
k is the number of the
construction; |
|
|
(ii) |
n is the number of the
prime given by the (k-1)th step; |
|
|
(iii) |
a(i, k) is given by p(n)
+ a(i, k) ≡ 0 (mod p(i)); |
|
|
(iv) |
r(n) is the least even
integer not among the a(i, k)'s. |
|
|
|
|
If p(n) + r(n) is not
congruent to 0, (mod p(i)), for any i ≤ n, it is therefore |
|
|
the prime p(n+1). |
|
|
|
|
To
obtain the (k+1)th row, subtract r(n) from a(i, k) to give a(i, k+1), adding
p(i) |
|
if necessary. Subtract
it also from p(n) to give a(n, k+1). |
|
|
|
|
And
p(n) + r(n) will not be prime only when r(n), though not equal to any a(i,
k), |
|
nevertheless exists in
some residue class {a(i, k)}. |
|
|
|
|
In
which case one of the a(i, k+1) will be zero, and we have generated a
composite |
|
number. |
|
|
|
|
And every time r(n) = 2,
a prime pair occurs. |
|
|
|
|
While
if in any row a(1) = 1, and a(i) is not 0 or 1 for any other i, then the
construction |
|
has generated a prime of
the form 2m+1. |
|
|
|
|
I may now enquire: |
|
|
|
|
When is a composite
generated? |
|
|
|
|
And can this procedure
be used more effectively than the sieve of Eratosthenes |
|
for the construction of
primes by computers? |
|
|
|
|
And
can problems regarding primes be translated into problems about the |
|
|
residues a(i) and the
differences r(n)? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|