0 . 0 0 4 1 0 0 4 3 0 0 4 7 0 0 5 3 0 0 6 1 0 0 7 1 0 0 8 3 0 0 9 7 0 1 1 3 0 1 3 1 0 1 5 1 …
Above are the first few digits decimal expansion of 9 9 9 7 0 0 0 2 9 9 9 9 4 0 9 9 2 0 0 0 4 1 , written in groups of 4.
You may think that all of these numbers are prime. Unfortunately, this pattern of primes does end eventually. After how many prime numbers does this pattern cease?
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0 . 0 0 4 1 0 0 4 3 0 0 4 7 0 0 5 3 . . . . = 0 . 0 0 4 1 0 0 4 1 0 0 4 1 . . . . + 2 ( 0 . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 . . . . + 0 . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 . . . . + . . . . . ) where, 0 . 0 0 4 1 0 0 4 1 0 0 4 1 . . . = 1 0 4 − 1 4 1 then, 0 . 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 . . . . = 1 0 4 1 + 1 0 8 2 + 1 0 1 2 3 + . . . . = ( 1 0 4 − 1 ) 2 1 0 4 so, 0 . 0 0 4 1 0 0 4 3 0 0 4 7 0 0 5 3 . . . . = 0 . 0 0 4 1 0 0 4 1 0 0 4 1 . . . . + 2 ( 0 . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 . . . . + 0 . 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 3 . . . . + . . . . . ) = 1 0 4 − 1 4 1 + 2 ( ( 1 0 4 ) ( 1 0 4 − 1 ) 2 1 0 4 + ( 1 0 8 ) ( 1 0 4 − 1 ) 2 1 0 4 + ( 1 0 1 2 ) ( 1 0 4 − 1 ) 2 1 0 4 + . . . ) = 1 0 4 − 1 4 1 + 2 ( ( 1 0 4 − 1 ) 3 1 0 4 ) = ( 1 0 4 − 1 ) 3 4 1 ( 1 0 4 − 1 ) 2 + 2 ( 1 0 4 ) = 9 9 9 7 0 0 0 2 9 9 9 9 4 0 9 9 2 0 0 0 4 1 so it is clear that this is not a coincidence, and if we eliminate zeros , we will get a sequence of numbers that is 4 1 , 4 3 , 4 7 , 5 3 , . . . . where, 4 3 = 4 1 + 2 4 7 = 4 1 + 2 + 4 5 3 = 4 1 + 2 + 4 + 6 and so forth. a n = 4 1 + 2 + 4 + 6 + . . . . + 2 ( n − 1 ) = 4 1 + 2 ( 1 + 2 + 3 + . . . . + ( n − 1 ) ) = 4 1 + 2 2 ( n − 1 ) ( n ) = 4 1 + ( n − 1 ) ( n ) the function of pattern is n ( n − 1 ) + 4 1 so, this function will not generate a prime number , if n ( n - 1 ) can be divided by 41 , so n that meet is 41 and 42.the least n is 41. then, this pattern will cease after 40 prime number. so the answer is 40
Do you know how to explain why that's the pattern?
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4 3 = 4 1 + 2 4 7 = 4 1 + 2 + 4 5 3 = 4 1 + 2 + 4 + 6 and so forth. a n = 4 1 + 2 + 4 + 6 + . . . . + 2 ( n − 1 ) = 4 1 + 2 ( 1 + 2 + 3 + . . . . + ( n − 1 ) ) = 4 1 + 2 2 n ( n − 1 ) = 4 1 + n ( n − 1 )
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I am not asking how you spotted the pattern.
What I meant is, how did Garrett come up with the fraction in the first place? Was it just a coincidence?
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@Calvin Lin – it's I don't know
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@Akhmad Syaikhu Firizal – Hint: Arithmetic-Geometric Progression
We know how to find ∑ 1 0 4 n 1 . Can you find ∑ 1 0 4 n n ?
There are, of course, other alternative approaches.
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@Calvin Lin – I get, thank for your help 9 9 9 7 0 0 0 2 9 9 9 4 0 9 9 2 0 0 0 4 1 = ( 1 0 4 − 1 ) 3 4 1 ( 1 0 4 − 1 ) + 2 ( 1 0 4 )
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@Akhmad Syaikhu Firizal – Great! Could you update your solution with this insight? THanks!
@Calvin Lin – Yepp @Akhmad Syaikhu Firizal , that page just about sums up the solution, get to it!
@Calvin Lin – ( 1 0 4 − 1 ) 2 ? 1 0 4
@Akhmad Syaikhu Firizal – Better figure it out before a better solution is posted!
Good solution!
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@Akhmad Syaikhu Firizal posted a great solution using Arithmetic-Geometric Progression , I'll use the famous Euler's Prime Generating Polynomial
Euler showed that the polynomial n 2 − n + 4 1 gives prime numbers for integers − 4 0 ≤ n ≤ 4 0 .
Now realize that the fraction is just n = 1 ∑ ∞ 1 0 4 n n 2 − n + 4 1 = 9 9 9 7 0 0 0 2 9 9 9 9 4 0 9 9 2 0 0 0 4 1
Since the polynomial will produce prime numbers till n = 4 0 only. The first number not prime is n = 4 1
We may as well want to check that the n 2 − n + 4 1 produces a prime of 4 digits only since a larger digited prime may result in the carry. But, ( 4 0 ) 2 − 4 0 + 4 1 = 1 5 2 3 which is 4-digit prime.