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12M Digit Prime Number Sets Record, Nets $100,000

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the that's-a-lotta-bits dept.

coondoggie writes "A 12-million-digit prime number, the largest such number ever discovered, has landed a voluntary math research group a $100,000 prize from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). The number, known as a Mersenne prime, is the 45th known Mersenne prime, written shorthand as 2 to the power of 43,112,609, minus 1 . A Mersenne number is a positive integer that is one less than a power of two, the group stated. The computing project called the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search (GIMPS) made the discovery on a computer at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Mathematics Department."

9 of 232 comments (clear)

  1. Man, oh, man... by bennomatic · · Score: 4, Funny

    The biggest prime number I know is 8675309. I'll have to tell Jenny about this new one.

    --
    The CB App. What's your 20?
  2. Re:Sounds cool, but... by ArhcAngel · · Score: 5, Funny

    n00b

    --
    "A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it." - K
  3. Re:so? by kalirion · · Score: 5, Funny

    Great,everyone starts using the new largest known prime number in their private key! That's like SUPER secure!

  4. Re:Actually the 47th by tholomyes · · Score: 4, Funny

    Hmmmm.

    Will knowing these numbers help me procreate before I die?

    I don't know about the three or the seven, but the two certainly will... after all, it takes two to tango.

    --
    When did the future switch from being a promise to a threat? -C. Palahniuk
  5. What a wasted opportunity by y5 · · Score: 5, Funny

    They could have made the reward $100,003 instead...

    1. Re:What a wasted opportunity by bitt3n · · Score: 5, Funny

      They could have made the reward $100,003 instead...

      yeah, brilliant idea. next day's headline would be "Five Mathematicians Slain in Argument Over Division of Prize Money"

      --
      how many pairs of boxer shorts should you own?
  6. Re:Actually the 47th by mcgrew · · Score: 4, Funny

    Unfortunately, I'm afraid that knowing these numbers will prevent you from procreating before you die.

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    Free Martian Whores!
  7. Thank goodness it's voluntary by handy_vandal · · Score: 4, Funny

    A 12-million-digit prime number, the largest such number ever discovered, has landed a voluntary math research group a $100,000 prize from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).

    "Voluntary" math research group? Is there any other kind?

    I'm trying to imagine an "involuntary" math research group, and all I'm getting is scenes from dystopian science fiction ... or possibly a scene from the life of Léon Theremin.

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    -kgj
  8. Re:Actually the 47th by onemorechip · · Score: 4, Funny

    It is the second largest prime: Both of all primes and Mersennes.

    Wow, does that mean we're close to discovering the largest prime?

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    But, I wanted socialized health insurance!