Thrice Composite... When is it Prime?

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Evan noticed that when n = 2 , 3 , n=2, 3, , and 4 4 , the expression n 5 + n 4 + 1 n^5+n^4+1 was composite. Given this information, find the number of positive integers n 1000 n\le 1000 such that n 5 + n 4 + 1 n^5+n^4+1 is prime.


The answer is 1.

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1 solution

Notice that if ω 3 = 1 \omega^3 = 1 , then ω 5 + ω 4 + 1 = ω 2 + ω + 1 = 0 \omega^5 + \omega^4 + 1 = \omega^2 + \omega + 1 = 0 , and hence follows n 2 + n + 1 n 5 + n 4 + 1 n^2 + n + 1|n^5 + n^4 + 1 : Indeed , if ω \omega is a root of both of the polynomials then one divides the other. Being 1 2 + 1 + 1 = 1 5 + 1 4 + 1 = 3 1^2 + 1 + 1=1^5 + 1^4 + 1 = 3 , the other factor will be 1 1 for n = 1 n=1 , but neither of the factors will be 1 1 henceforward. So, n = 1 n=1 is the only solution.

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