Although I have not read about primes in the past few months, I still enjoy the topic whenever I get around to it, and in the past day I — feeling tired of languages and football at the moment – had a read about Oscar Hoppe, the mathematician who during the World War I years proved the number 1111111111111111111 (R
19) to be prime.
Whilst I do not understand how Oscar Hoppe did it except by showing that R
19 could
not be expressed as the difference of nonconsecutive squares, I thought I should try and do something I had wanted to do many years ago. That is to see how many of the possible prime factors actually divide numbers in some major prime gaps or sequences with very few primes, in order to see what size prime gap would theoretically be possible if all “small” primes (defined as those under the square root) divided a number within a sequence of a numbers of an arbitrary size.
The sequences examined are:
- 31,398 to 31,468 — a highly persistent prime gap, the largest with five-digit numbers and the most persistent above 1,361
- 58,790 to 58,888 — almost 100 numbers with just one prime, at a size one-third that of the first 100 consecutive numbers with only one prime
- 155,900 to 155,999 and 268,300 to 268,399 — the first two centuries with one prime only (the first with two primes is actually from 302,000 to 302,099)
- 370,262 to 370,372 and 370,900 to 371,020 — the first being the smallest prime gap of over 100 and the second the second century with only two primes.
- 1,357,202 to 1,357,332 — the first of two sequences of 131 composite numbers in the second million
- the 16,719th century — the first with no primes whatsoever — and surrounding prime-free numbers.
31,398 to 31,468
Number | “Small” Factors | “Large” Factors |
31,399 | 17 | 1847 |
31,403 | 31 | 1013 |
31,409 | 7 | 7 | | 641 |
31,411 | 101 | 311 |
31,417 | 89 | 353 |
31,421 | 13 | 2417 |
31,423 | 7 | 67 | 67 | |
31,427 | 11 | 2857 |
31,429 | 53 | 593 |
31,433 | 17 | 43 | 43 | |
31,439 | 149 | 211 |
31,441 | 23 | 1367 |
31,447 | 13 | 41 | 59 | |
31,451 | 7 | 4493 |
31,453 | 71 | 443 |
31,457 | 83 | 379 |
31,459 | 163 | 193 |
31,463 | 73 | 431 |
Square root of 31,468 is 177.3922207989967
Total number of prime factors under square root required: 18 of 38 (47.36 percent).
58,790 to 58,888
Number | “Small” Factors | “Large” Factors |
58,793 | 7 | 37 | 227 | |
58,799 | 13 | 4523 |
58,801 | 127 | 463 |
58,807 | 7 | 31 | | 271 |
58,811 | 23 | 2557 |
58,813 | 103 | 571 |
58,817 | 11 | 5347 |
58,819 | 131 | 449 |
58,823 | 59 | 997 |
58,829 | 89 | 661 |
58,831 |
is a prime
|
58,837 | 17 | 3461 |
58,841 | 29 | 2029 |
58,843 | 19 | 19 | 163 | |
58,847 | 83 | 709 |
58,849 | 7 | 7 | | 1201 |
58,853 | 229 | 257 |
58,859 | 71 | 829 |
58,861 | 11 | 5351 |
58,867 | 37 | 1591 |
58,871 | 17 | 3463 |
58,873 | 113 | 521 |
58,877 | 7 | 13 | | 647 |
58,879 | 97 | 607 |
58,883 | 11 | 53 | 101 | |
Square root of 58,888 is 242.6684981615867
Total number of prime factors under square root required: 23 of 46 (50.00 percent).
155,894 to 156,001
Number | “Small” Factors | “Large” Factors |
155,897 | 7 | 22271 |
155,899 | 31 | 47 | 107 | |
155,903 | 11 | 14173 |
155,909 | 13 | 67 | 179 | |
155,911 | 7 | 22273 |
155,917 | 23 | 6779 |
155,921 |
is a prime
|
155,923 | 41 | 3803 |
155,927 | 241 | 647 |
155,929 | 211 | 739 |
155,933 | 19 | 29 | 283 |
155,939 | 7 | 22277 |
155,941 | 17 | 9173 |
155,947 | 11 | 14177 |
155,951 | 277 | 563 |
155,953 | 7 | 22279 |
155,957 | 83 | 1879 |
155,959 | 263 | 593 |
155,963 | 23 | 6781 |
155,969 | 11 | 11 | 1289 |
155,971 | 19 | 8209 |
155,977 | 61 | 2557 |
155,981 | 7 | 22283 |
155,983 | 151 | 1033 |
155,987 | 13 | 13 | 923 |
155,989 | 389 | 401 |
155,993 | 47 | 3319 |
155,999 | 257 | 607 |
156,001 | 73 | 2137 |
Square root of 156,001 is 394.9696190848101
Total number of prime factors under square root required: 23 of 74 (31.08 percent).
2684th century
Number |
“Small” Factors |
“Large” Factors |
268,301 | 11 | 24391 |
268,303 | 7 | 38329 |
268,307 | 13 | 20639 |
268,309 | 71 | 3779 |
268,313 | 157 | 1709 |
268,319 | 251 | 1069 |
268,321 | 179 | 1499 |
268,327 | 151 | 1777 |
268,331 | 7 | 38333 |
268,333 | 13 | 20641 |
268,337 | 19 | 29 | 487 | |
268,339 | 53 | 61 | 83 | |
268,343 |
is a prime
|
268,349 | 149 | 1801 |
268,351 | 127 | 2113 |
268,357 | 101 | 2657 |
268,361 | 37 | 7253 |
268,363 | 43 | 79 | 79 | |
268,367 | 11 | 31 | 787 |
268,369 | 167 | 1607 |
268,373 | 7 | 7 | 5477 |
268,379 | 17 | 15787 |
268,381 | 349 | 769 |
268,387 | 7 | 23 | 1667 |
268,391 | 59 | 4549 |
268,393 | 311 | 863 |
268,397 | 239 | 1123 |
268,399 | 97 | 2767 |
Square root of 268,402 is 518.0752841045402
Total number of prime factors under square root required: 29 of 95 (30.52 percent).
First century gap
Number |
“Small” Factors |
“Large” Factors |
370,267 | 479 | 773 |
370,271 | 11 | 41 | 821 |
370,273 | 43 | 79 | 109 | |
370,277 | 17 | 23 | 947 |
370,279 | 7 | 13 | 13 | 313 | |
370,283 | 379 | 977 |
370,289 | 349 | 1061 |
370,291 | 19 | 19489 |
370,297 | 353 | 1049 |
370,301 | 29 | 113 | 113 | |
370,303 | 367 | 1009 |
370,307 | 7 | 52901 |
370,309 | 67 | 5527 |
370,313 | 47 | 7879 |
370,319 | 547 | 677 |
370,321 | 7 | 52903 |
370,327 | 107 | 3461 |
370,331 | 13 | 61 | 467 | |
370,333 | 37 | 10009 |
370,337 | 11 | 131 | 257 | |
370,339 | 199 | 1861 |
370,343 | 59 | 6277 |
370,349 | 7 | 191 | 277 | |
370,351 | 179 | 2069 |
370,357 | 13 | 31 | 919 |
370,361 | 383 | 967 |
370,363 | 7 | 157 | 337 | |
370,367 | 19 | 101 | 193 | |
370,369 | 23 | 16103 |
Square root of 370,373 is 608.5827799075488
Total number of prime factors under square root required: 38 of 108 (35.18 percent).
3,710th and early 3,711st centuries
Number |
“Small” Factors |
“Large” Factors |
370,901 | 421 | 881 |
370,903 | 13 | 103 | 277 | |
370,907 | 167 | 2221 |
370,909 | 7 | 11 | 4817 |
370,913 | 73 | 5081 |
370,919 |
is a prime
|
370,921 | 23 | 16127 |
370,927 | 41 | 9047 |
370,931 | 11 | 33721 |
370,933 | 59 | 6287 |
370,937 | 7 | 19 | 2789 |
370,939 | 29 | 12791 |
370,943 | 347 | 1069 |
370,949 |
is a prime
|
370,951 | 7 | 197 | 269 | |
370,957 | 17 | 21821 |
370,961 | 43 | 8627 |
370,963 | 409 | 907 |
370,967 | 23 | 127 | 127 | |
370,969 | 107 | 3467 |
370,973 | 101 | 3673 |
370,979 | 7 | 7 | 67 | 113 | |
370,981 | 13 | 28537 |
370,987 | 349 | 1063 |
370,991 | 17 | 139 | 157 | |
370,993 | 7 | 52999 |
370,997 | 11 | 29 | 1163 |
370,999 | 37 | 37 | 271 | |
371,003 | 353 | 1051 |
371,009 | 41 | 9049 |
371,011 | 577 | 643 |
371,017 | 563 | 659 |
371,021 | 7 | 53003 |
371,023 | 311 | 1193 |
Square root of 371,024 is 609.1173942681329
Total number of prime factors under square root required: 33 of 108 (30.56 percent).
13,573rd century
Number |
“Small” Factors |
“Large” Factors |
1,357,207 | 23 | 59009 |
1,357,211 | 31 | 43781 |
1,357,213 | 11 | 13 | 9491 |
1,357,217 | 257 | 5281 |
1,357,219 | 47 | 67 | 431 | |
1,357,223 | 7 | 41 | 4729 |
1,357,229 | 17 | 29 | 2753 |
1,357,231 | 103 | 13177 |
1,357,237 | 7 | 193891 |
1,357,241 | 149 | 9109 |
1,357,243 | 113 | 12011 |
1,357,247 | 307 | 4421 |
1,357,249 | 127 | 10687 |
1,357,253 | 23 | 59011 |
1,357,259 | 137 | 9907 |
1,357,261 | 349 | 3889 |
1,357,267 | 571 | 2377 |
1,357,271 | 37 | 36683 |
1,357,273 | 31 | 43783 |
1,357,277 | 53 | 25609 |
1,357,279 | 7 | 11 | 17627 |
1,357,283 | 229 | 5927 |
1,357,289 | 73 | 18593 |
1,357,291 | 13 | 131 | 797 | |
1,357,297 | 17 | 79841 |
1,357,301 | 11 | 163 | 757 | |
1,357,303 | 19 | 71437 |
1,357,307 | 7 | 71 | 2731 |
1,357,309 | 727 | 1867 |
1,357,313 | 47 | 28879 |
1,357,319 | 181 | 7499 |
1,357,321 | 7 | 97 | 1999 |
1,357,327 | 449 | 3023 |
1,357,331 | 17 | 79843 |
Square root of 1,357,332 is 1165.04592184171
Total number of prime factors under square root required: 33 of 189 (17.46 percent).
16,719th century and surrounds
Number |
“Small” Factors |
“Large” Factors |
1,671,787 | 13 | 128599 |
1,671,791 | 11 | 19 | 19 | 421 | |
1,671,793 | 103 | 16231 |
1,671,797 | 17 | 43 | 2287 |
1,671,799 | 31 | 199 | 271 | |
1,671,803 | 7 | 238829 |
1,671,809 | 599 | 2791 |
1,671,811 | 137 | 12203 |
1,671,817 | 7 | 241 | 991 | |
1,671,821 | 29 | 57649 |
1,671,823 | 191 | 8753 |
1,671,827 | 61 | 27407 |
1,671,829 | 19 | 87991 |
1,671,833 | 1289 | 1297 |
1,671,839 | 13 | 128603 |
1,671,841 | 1223 | 1367 |
1,671,847 | 23 | 72689 |
1,671,851 | 67 | 24953 |
1,671,853 | 101 | 16553 |
1,671,857 | 11 | 11 | 41 | 337 | |
1,671,859 | 7 | 238837 |
1,671,863 | 359 | 4657 |
1,671,869 | 83 | 20143 |
1,671,871 | 487 | 3433 |
1,671,877 | 79 | 21163 |
1,671,881 | 331 | 5051 |
1,671,883 | 43 | 59 | 659 | |
1,671,887 | 7 | 238841 |
1,671,889 | 521 | 3209 |
1,671,893 | 23 | 157 | 463 | |
1,671,899 | 17 | 98347 |
1,671,901 | 7 | 11 | 21713 |
Square root of 1,671,907 is 1293.022428266424
Total number of prime factors under square root required: 36 of 207 (17.39 percent).
It is clearly noticeable how, as our numbers become bigger and bigger, the proportion of primes under the square root required to factor long sequences of composite numbers becomes smaller and smaller.
In the sequence from 1,328 to 1,360,
every prime less than the square root is used to factor a number which cannot be proven composite by elementary divisibility tests for 2, 3 and 5. In the 16,719
th century, the smallest devoid of primes, only 33 primes of 207 are needed to factor 26 numbers. This result from the 16,719
th century, alongside similar cases with smaller numbers, suggests that if every possible factor had a multiple of a prime larger than the square root, then gaps of over one hundred could occur easily with
five-digit numbers.
The “accuracy” required to match small and large prime factors for the largest possible sequence of composite numbers — as happens in the fourteenth century — however, must be quite impossible to replicate even with six-digit numbers, owing to the fact that necessary factors are often much larger than those used from 1,328 to 1,360, so that a “matching” prime is less likely because the density of primes falls logarithmically with number size. Hence, perhaps the observed gaps are more impressive than the actual use of small prime factors would suggest.