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42nd Mersenne Prime Probably Discovered

Posted by Zonk on from the so-many-digits dept.

RTKfan writes "Chalk up another achievement for distributed computing! MathWorld is reporting that the 42nd, and now-largest, Mersenne Prime has probably been discovered. The number in question is currently being double-checked by George Woltman, organizer of GIMPS (the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search). If this pans out, GIMPS will have been responsible for the eight current largest Mersenne Primes ever discovered."

3 of 369 comments (clear)

  1. That website... by daveschroeder · · Score: 0, Redundant

    ...is linked in the summary.

    (Last sentence, "Mersenne Primes".)

    Sheesh.

  2. Re:Would a math geek... by piquadratCH · · Score: 0, Redundant
    In mathematics, a Mersenne prime is a prime number that is one less than a power of two. For example, 3 = 4 - 1 = 2^2 - 1 is a Mersenne prime; so is 7 = 8 - 1 = 2^3 - 1. On the other hand, 15 = 16 - 1 = 2^4 - 1, for example, is not a prime.
    From Wikipedia
  3. And??? by michelcultivo · · Score: 0, Redundant

    And what this will change in our computer form or life? Will it reduce the greenhouse effect?

    --
    http://www.michel.eti.br