Re: prime numbers and African artifact

Craig A. Johnston (caj@tower.stc.housing.washington.edu)
15 Jul 1995 01:01:27 GMT

In article <3u6c7k$s9t@infohub.engr.sgi.com>,
Erik Wahlstrom <erikw@bat.engr.sgi.com> wrote:
>
>In article <3u5act$j2u@zen.hursley.ibm.com>, martin@melon.wdg.uk.ibm.com writes:
>
>> Hang on, I think I can finally wrap this up.
>>
>> (a) 254365465431652436514232 is not divisible by 2 (see above).
>
> FALSE!
>
>>
>> (b) Since the first number is neither a 5 nor a 0, the number is
>> not divisible by 5.
>>
>> (c) By repeatedly adding the digits together as above, we get the number 10.
>> Now any number which doesn't divide into 10 clearly doesn't divide into
>> the whole number. 10 is divisible only by 5 and 2, which we have already
>> shown don't divide the number.
>>
>> So 254365465431652436514232 is most definitely prime, not to mention square
>> (yes, a member of the small set of square primes) and also a Fibonacci number.
>
>
>254365465431652436514232 IS NOT A PRIME. It's an Even number, End of story.
>Remember the only even PRIME number is 2.
>
>Cheers Erik

Gads... I think you guys will need some help reeling this one in.