Mersenne prime: Difference between revisions
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A Mersenne [prime] is a prime that is in the form of <math>2^n-1</math>. | A Mersenne [[prime]] is a prime that is in the form of <math>2^n-1</math>. | ||
These are some of the largest primes known to man due to one main factor: There is an integer bit value set to that, so that the largest number with a certain amount of bits is a form of <math>2^n-1</math> | These are some of the largest primes known to man due to one main factor: There is an integer bit value set to that, so that the largest number with a certain amount of bits is a form of <math>2^n-1</math> | ||
Revision as of 21:33, 30 June 2011
A Mersenne prime is a prime that is in the form of 
.
These are some of the largest primes known to man due to one main factor: There is an integer bit value set to that, so that the largest number with a certain amount of bits is a form of
For example: The amount of numbers on a 32 bit computer is 
. Then, divide by 2, as there are positive, and negative values. Then subtract one, as zero is one of them, so the largest number on a 32 bit computer is 2,147,483,647. (Not necessarily the largest number displayed, to achieve a higher number, a computer could use a base system other than 2.)
The largest prime is 
, and it is a Mersenne prime.
