Never prime!

Algebra Level 3

Find the least positive integer n n such that for every prime number p p , p 2 + n p^2+ n is never prime.


The answer is 5.

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2 solutions

Cantdo Math
May 1, 2020

If n is odd and p^2 odd prime then,p^2+n will never be a prime.Hence,we just need 4+n not to be a prime with odd n which gives n=5. Now,for smaller even numbers 2 and 4 we have 7 2 + 2 = 51 = 3 17 7^2+2=51=3*17 and 1 1 2 + 4 = 125 = 5 3 11^2+4=125=5^3 .

Hence,the answer is 5 \boxed{5}

Let q ( p , n ) = p 2 + n q(p,n) = p^2 +n . Let us start with the smallest n = 1 n=1 , then q ( 2 , 1 ) = 2 2 + 1 = 5 q(2,1) = 2^2+1 = 5 , which is a prime. Therefore, n 1 n \ne 1 . We note that q ( 3 , 2 ) = 3 2 + 2 = 11 q(3,2) = 3^2 + 2 = 11 , a prime, then n 2 n \ne 2 . q ( 2 , 3 ) = 7 q(2,3) = 7 , a prime, n 3 n \ne 3 . q ( 3 , 4 ) = 13 q(3,4) = 13 , a prime, n 4 n \ne 4 , When n = 5 n=5 , q ( 2 , 5 ) = 9 q(2,5) = 9 , not a prime, and for p > 2 p>2 , p p is odd, so is p 2 p^2 and q ( p , 5 ) = p 2 + 5 q(p,5) = p^2+ 5 is even and larger than 2 and hence not a prime. Therefore, the smallest n n is 5 \boxed{5} for all p 2 + n p^2 + n to be never a prime.

Thank you.

Hana Wehbi - 3 years, 8 months ago

What was not shown here (yet), is that n≠2 and n≠4. Good counterexamples would be e.g. (p = 3, n = 2) and (p = 3, n = 4), which would give us primes (11 and 13, respectively).

Zee Ell - 3 years, 8 months ago

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You are right.

Chew-Seong Cheong - 3 years, 8 months ago

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I have amended the solution. Thanks.

Chew-Seong Cheong - 3 years, 8 months ago

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