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In mathematics, the prime number theorem (PNT) describes the asymptotic distribution of the prime numbers among the positive integers. It formalizes the intuitive idea that primes become less common as they become larger by precisely quantifying the rate at which this occurs.
A primality test is an algorithm for determining whether an input number is prime.Among other fields of mathematics, it is used for cryptography.Unlike integer factorization, primality tests do not generally give prime factors, only stating whether the input number is prime or not.
Fermat's little theorem states that if p is prime and a is not divisible by p, then a p − 1 ≡ 1 ( mod p ) . {\displaystyle a^{p-1}\equiv 1{\pmod {p}}.} If one wants to test whether p is prime, then we can pick random integers a not divisible by p and see whether the congruence holds.
A prime number (or a prime) is a natural number greater than 1 that is not a product of two smaller natural numbers. A natural number greater than 1 that is not prime is called a composite number . For example, 5 is prime because the only ways of writing it as a product, 1 × 5 or 5 × 1 , involve 5 itself.
Number theory is a branch of pure mathematics devoted primarily to the study of the integers and arithmetic functions.German mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss (1777–1855) said, "Mathematics is the queen of the sciences—and number theory is the queen of mathematics."
The multiples of a given prime are generated as a sequence of numbers starting from that prime, with constant difference between them that is equal to that prime. [1] This is the sieve's key distinction from using trial division to sequentially test each candidate number for divisibility by each prime. [ 2 ]
In mathematical logic, a literal is an atomic formula (also known as an atom or prime formula) or its negation. [1] [2] The definition mostly appears in proof theory (of classical logic), e.g. in conjunctive normal form and the method of resolution. Literals can be divided into two types: [2] A positive literal is just an atom (e.g., ).
Otherwise, p is a strong probable prime to base a; that is, it may be prime or not. If p is composite, the probability that the test declares it a strong probable prime anyway is at most 1 ⁄ 4, in which case p is a strong pseudoprime, and a is a strong liar.