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'Prime Sequences' printed from http://nrich.maths.org/
In 2004 an exciting new result was
proved in Number Theory by two young mathematicians Ben Green and
Terrence Tao. They proved that if you look in a long enough list of
the prime numbers then you will be able to find numbers which form
an arithmetic progression containing as many numbers as you choose!
In this question we explore some of the interesting issues
surrounding arithmetic progressions of prime numbers.
An $AP-k$ sequence is $k\geq 3$ primes
in arithmetic progression. See examples
A simple arithmetic progression of three primes starts at $3$
with common difference $4$, giving rise to the progression of prime
numbers
$$
3, 7,11
$$
This is an example of $AP-3$. Note that the sequence stops here
because $11+4=15$, which is not a prime number. Another short
arithmetic progression starts at $7$ with common difference
$6$
$$
7, 13, 19
$$ |
This problem involves several linked parts leading up to a final
challenge. Try some of the earlier questions to gain insights into
the final challenge. These can be attempted in any order. You might
find that you naturally ask yourself questions which are found
later in the list of questions and you might find that one part
helps in the consideration of another part. Of course, you are
welcome to go straight to the final challenge. However, you might
also wish to start with one of the earlier challenges and see how
many of the other challenges you naturally discover whilst
exploring the underlying mathematical structure.
Consider some of these three questions first:
|
| Question A |
Can you find an arithmetic
progression of four primes?
|
| Question B |
How many prime APs
beginning with $2$ can you find?
|
| Question C |
How many other arithmetic
progressions of prime numbers from the list of primes below can you
find?
|
| Next consider some of these three questions: |
| Question A |
Why is $3, 5, 7$ the only
prime AP with common difference $2$?
|
| Question B |
What is the maximum length
of a prime AP with common difference of $6$?
|
| Question C |
If the common difference
of a prime AP is $N$ then the maximum length of the prime AP is
$N-1$.
|
| Now consider some of these three questions: |
| Question A |
What is the maxiumum
length of a prime AP with common difference $10$?
|
| Question B |
What is the max length of
a prime AP with common difference $100, 1000, 10000$ ?
|
| Question C |
What are the possible
lengths of prime APs with common difference $2p$, where $p$ is
prime? Consider $p=3$ and $p> 3$ separately.
|
When you have thought about some of the previous problems you might
like to try the
final challenge
| Prove that if an AP-$k$ does not begin with the prime $k$, then
the common difference is a multiple of the primorial $k$#$ = 2\cdot 3\cdot
5 \cdot \dots \cdot j$, where $j$ is the largest prime not greater
than $k$. |
Once you have solved this, why not try to think of some other
questions about prime APs to ask?
In doing these problems you might like to see this
list
of primes
| 2 |
3 |
5 |
7 |
11 |
13 |
17 |
19 |
23 |
29 |
31 |
37 |
41 |
43 |
47 |
53 |
59 |
61 |
67 |
71 |
|
| 73 |
79 |
83 |
89 |
97 |
101 |
103 |
107 |
109 |
113 |
127 |
131 |
137 |
139 |
149 |
151 |
157 |
163 |
167 |
173 |
|
| 179 |
181 |
191 |
193 |
197 |
199 |
211 |
223 |
227 |
229 |
233 |
239 |
241 |
251 |
257 |
263 |
269 |
271 |
277 |
281 |
|
| 283 |
293 |
307 |
311 |
313 |
317 |
331 |
337 |
347 |
349 |
353 |
359 |
367 |
373 |
379 |
383 |
389 |
397 |
401 |
409 |
|
| 419 |
421 |
431 |
433 |
439 |
443 |
449 |
457 |
461 |
463 |
467 |
479 |
487 |
491 |
499 |
503 |
509 |
521 |
523 |
541 |
|
| 547 |
557 |
563 |
569 |
571 |
577 |
587 |
593 |
599 |
601 |
607 |
613 |
617 |
619 |
631 |
641 |
643 |
647 |
653 |
659 |
|
| 661 |
673 |
677 |
683 |
691 |
701 |
709 |
719 |
727 |
733 |
739 |
743 |
751 |
757 |
761 |
769 |
773 |
787 |
797 |
809 |
|
| 811 |
821 |
823 |
827 |
829 |
839 |
853 |
857 |
859 |
863 |
877 |
881 |
883 |
887 |
907 |
911 |
919 |
929 |
937 |
941 |
|
| 947 |
953 |
967 |
971 |
977 |
983 |
991 |
997 |
1009 |
1013 |
1019 |
1021 |
1031 |
1033 |
1039 |
1049 |
1051 |
1061 |
1063 |
1069 |