Primorial
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For n ≥ 2, the primorial (n#) is the product of all prime numbers less than or equal to n. For example, 7# = 210 is a primorial which is the product of the first four primes multiplied together (2·3·5·7). The name is attributed to Harvey Dubner and is a portmanteau of prime and factorial. The first few primorials are (sequence A002110 in OEIS):
- 2, 6, 30, 210, 2310, 30030, 510510, 9699690, 223092870, 6469693230, 200560490130, 7420738134810, 304250263527210, 13082761331670030, 614889782588491410.
The idea of multiplying all primes occurs in a proof of the infinitude of the prime numbers; it is applied to show a contradiction in the idea that the primes could be finite in number.
Primorials play a role in the search for prime numbers in additive arithmetic progressions. For instance, 2236133941 + 23# results in a prime, beginning a sequence of thirteen primes found by repeatedly adding 23#, and ending with 5136341251. 23# is also the common difference in arithmetic progressions of fifteen and sixteen primes.
Every highly composite number is a product of primorials (e.g. 360 = 2·6·30).
Contents |
[edit] Table of primorials
p | p# |
---|---|
2 | 2 |
3 | 6 |
5 | 30 |
7 | 210 |
11 | 2310 |
13 | 30030 |
17 | 510510 |
19 | 9699690 |
23 | 223092870 |
29 | 6469693230 |
31 | 200560490130 |
37 | 7420738134810 |
41 | 304250263527210 |
43 | 13082761331670030 |
47 | 614889782588491410 |
53 | 32589158477190044730 |
59 | 1922760350154212639070 |
61 | 117288381359406970983270 |
67 | 7858321551080267055879090 |
71 | 557940830126698960967415390 |
73 | 40729680599249024150621323470 |
79 | 3217644767340672907899084554130 |
83 | 267064515689275851355624017992790 |
89 | 23768741896345550770650537601358310 |
97 | 2305567963945518424753102147331756070 |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Harvey Dubner, "Factorial and primorial primes". J. Recr. Math., 19, 197–203, 1987.