These Prime Numbers Are So Memorable That People Hunt for Them
Briefly

from www.scientificamerican.com1 month ago
The story reflects on Alexander Grothendieck's humorous mistake in naming a prime number, exemplifying how even the brightest minds can falter on simple concepts. Grothendieck claimed "57" as a prime, a number misclassification that sparked discussions about primes in nerd circles.
www.scientificamerican.comhttps://www.scientificamerican.com/article/these-prime-numbers-are-so-memorable-that-people-hunt-for-them/
The anecdote continues with mathematician Freeman Dyson, who when challenged to name a prime, provided "231" which was also not prime. This highlights an interesting facet of mathematical discourse among experts.
www.scientificamerican.comhttps://www.scientificamerican.com/article/these-prime-numbers-are-so-memorable-that-people-hunt-for-them/
Neil Sloane, upon Dyson's silence, humorously recited a sequence that resulted in a prime number: 12,345,678,910,987,654,321. This type of prime is termed 'memorable' due to its palindromic nature.
www.scientificamerican.comhttps://www.scientificamerican.com/article/these-prime-numbers-are-so-memorable-that-people-hunt-for-them/
Sloane's exploration of 'memorable primes' prompts a question about the existence of other such sequences for various integers, showcasing the pursuit of patterns within prime numbers.
www.scientificamerican.comhttps://www.scientificamerican.com/article/these-prime-numbers-are-so-memorable-that-people-hunt-for-them/
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#prime-numbers #mathematical-anecdotes #grothendieck #neil-sloane #memorable-primes
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