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Primality Proving

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Prime Numbers
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Abstract

In Chapter 3 we discussed probabilistic methods for quickly recognizing composite numbers. If a number is not declared composite by such a test, it is either prime, or we have been unlucky in our attempt to prove the number composite. Since we do not expect to witness inordinate strings of bad luck, after a while we become convinced that the number is prime. We do not, however, have a proof; rather, we have a conjecture substantiated by numerical experiments. This chapter is devoted to the topic of how one might actually prove that a number is prime.

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© 2001 Springer-Verlag, New York, Inc.

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Crandall, R., Pomerance, C. (2001). Primality Proving. In: Prime Numbers. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-9316-0_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-9316-0_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-9318-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-9316-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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