I have spent a good deal of time lately thinking about prime numbers. A prime number is a number that is divisible by itself, 1, and no other whole numbers. For example 7 is prime because its divisible by 1 and 7 but not 2,3,4,5, or 6. Check out this link that briefly discuses the history and significants of prime numbers.
Some of the greatest mathematicians in history spent huge chunks of their life studying prime numbers; including Pythagoras of Samos, Euclid of Alexandria, Pierre Fermat, and Marin Mersenne. What makes prime numbers so interesting to mathematicians is that in math (the most structured of all sciences) primes appear fairly randomly. The density of primes can be calculated with some accuracy and there are some calculations that improve the probability of finding a prime number; but no one has discovered an algorithm for discovering the whole set of prime numbers.
Bob, Great post. Did you see the poster with the latest prime on it? Crazy. I downloaded the the latest prime. My SSN Wasn\’t in it 🙁