Divisibility and Factorizations
If i < j, it follows from the definition that sj ≡ 1 (mod si). Therefore, every two numbers in Sylvester's sequence are relatively prime. The sequence can be used to prove that there are infinitely many prime numbers, as any prime can divide at most one number in the sequence. More strongly, no prime factor of a number in the sequence can be congruent to 5 (mod 6), and the sequence can be used to prove that there are infinitely many primes congruent to 7 (mod 12) (Guy & Nowakowski 1975).
‹ The template below (Unsolved) is being considered for possible deletion. See templates for discussion to help reach a consensus.›Are all the terms in Sylvester's sequence squarefree? |
Much remains unknown about the factorization of the numbers in the Sylvester's sequence. For instance, it is not known if all numbers in the sequence are squarefree, although all the known terms are.
As Vardi (1991) describes, it is easy to determine which Sylvester number (if any) a given prime p divides: simply compute the recurrence defining the numbers modulo p until finding either a number that is congruent to zero (mod p) or finding a repeated modulus. Via this technique he found that 1166 out of the first three million primes are divisors of Sylvester numbers, and that none of these primes has a square that divides a Sylvester number. A general result of Jones (2006) implies that the set of prime factors of Sylvester numbers has density zero in the set of all primes.
The following table shows known factorizations of these numbers, (except the first four, which are all prime):
n | Factors of sn |
---|---|
4 | 13 × 139 |
5 | 3263443, which is prime |
6 | 547 × 607 × 1033 × 31051 |
7 | 29881 × 67003 × 9119521 × 6212157481 |
8 | 5295435634831 × 31401519357481261 × 77366930214021991992277 |
9 | 181 × 1987 × 112374829138729 × 114152531605972711 × 35874380272246624152764569191134894955972560447869169859142453622851 |
10 | 2287 × 2271427 × 21430986826194127130578627950810640891005487 × P156 |
11 | 73 × C416 |
12 | 2589377038614498251653 × 2872413602289671035947763837 × C785 |
13 | 52387 × 5020387 × 5783021473 × 401472621488821859737 × 287001545675964617409598279 × C1600 |
14 | 13999 × 74203 × 9638659 × 57218683 × 10861631274478494529 × C3293 |
15 | 17881 × 97822786011310111 × 54062008753544850522999875710411 × C6618 |
16 | 128551 × C13335 |
17 | 635263 × 1286773 × 21269959 × C26661 |
18 | 50201023123 × 139263586549 × 60466397701555612333765567 × C53313 |
19 | C106721 |
20 | 352867 × 6210298470888313 × C213419 |
21 | 387347773 × 1620516511 × C426863 |
22 | 91798039513 × C853750 |
As is customary, Pn and Cn denote prime and composite numbers n digits long.
Read more about this topic: Sylvester's Sequence