Fascinating news today from the BBC. Apparently, a team of mathematicians in California has discovered the world's largest prime number - a number that can only be divided by itself and the number one. The newly identified number has 13 million digits! Yes, you read it right... Needless to say, it wasn't discovered with a pencil and a piece of paper. The team linked 75 computers across the world via the internet and used their combined power. As a result, the mathematicians look set to gain financially too, having picked up a prize for 'co-operative computing' through their work (the prize amount doesn't have 13 million digits though...). We all win in the end, of course, as human knowledge advances in this way.
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So, here I am with two weeks left of my original experiment. I almost can't believe I've got this far myself! Over the next couple of weeks, I have to decide how best to continue this blog, but I'm also going to be making some changes to its layout and content. So look out for those! Hope you like them. As always, send me your thoughts at eazibee@gmail.com
Saturday, September 27, 2008
352: amazing mathematic discovery
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2 comments:
Emma ~ Oh my god!! How insane. I'm a math teacher and we just discussed your post in class. I gave a few illustrations of just how big this number is by writing a google (a 1 followed by 100 zeroes) on the board and going from there. Wow! I love your site. I'll attach a link to it from my blog (freezerburningman.blogspot.com). ~ Dave from your screenwriting class
Cool! Thanks, Dave. Sounds like a fun class! The sort of thing that actually makes kids WANT to study mathematics...
Links always appreciated, my friend. Take care. E
PS - did you see the fundraiser I launched yesterday? Does your school use DonorsChoose.org?
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