Talk:Sierpinski number

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[edit] Selfridge's conjecture

Selfridge's conjecture as [defined at MathWorld] is not the same as the definition here. --85.194.2.201 15:51, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] How do you prove a Sierpinski number?

Why was it possible to rigorously prove (by induction, perhaps?) that 78557 is Sierpinski, while "the Seventeen" are indeterminate and only testable by brute force? If one of the remaining eight has an extreme n value (let's say > 2^64), the speed of light dictates that our current forms of computer hardware will probably never search that high. Frankie 21:59, 21 December 2005 (UTC)