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07 Feb 06 - 05:15 AM (#1663587) Subject: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: GUEST,Dazbo Help required for a dispute at work. Is -2 an even prime number? |
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07 Feb 06 - 05:27 AM (#1663594) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: Paul Burke A prime number is a positive integer that has exactly two positive integer factors, 1 and itself. So minus 2 is not prime, having one negative integer factor, -2, and one positive, 1. |
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07 Feb 06 - 05:29 AM (#1663597) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: McGrath of Harlow I see this page answers the question succinctly. In fact three times -No", "Yes" and "It doesn't matter". That seems to cover all the options. Whether those count as answers is another question... |
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07 Feb 06 - 08:05 AM (#1663691) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: Mr Red well I never saw definition of a prime as "positive" till now. "divisble only by 1 and itself" is all I ever saw. which would make it a yes. but I am prepared to learn new knowledge ............. |
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07 Feb 06 - 08:08 AM (#1663693) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: greg stephens Never mind if it's prime or not, I dont reckon it's a number. |
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07 Feb 06 - 09:18 AM (#1663756) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: Amos There are a apparently two definitions of a prime number, one of which requires it to be greater than one, the other not. Definitions of prime number on the Web: A whole number greater than 1 that can only be divided evenly by itself and 1 (eg, 17). www.mdk12.org/instruction/curriculum/mathematics/glossary.shtml A whole number greater than 1 that has exactly two whole number factors, 1 and itself. The first five prime numbers are 2,3,5,7, and 11. www.sidwell.edu/academics/lower_school/LS_Math_Adventures/glossary.htm any integer that cannot be divided by another number evenly except by itself and 1; two is the smallest prime number Example:"2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13" www.beekmanlibrary.org/Mgloss.html A prime number is a natural number that has only one and itself as factors. Examples: 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 23, … are prime numbers. www.cunymath.cuny.edu/students/glossary/n-p.html any whole number with only two factors, 1 and itself (eg, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, etc.) www.northeast-hs.pinellas.k12.fl.us/glossary.html Is 1 a prime number? Most textbooks today call it neither prime nor composite, but older texts generally considered it to be prime. In 1859, Lebesgue stated explicitly that 1 is prime in Exercices d'analyse numérique. It is prime in Primary Elements of Algebra for Common Schools and Academies (1866) by Joseph Ray and Standard Arithmetic (1892) by William J. Milne. A list of primes to 10,006,721 published in 1914 by DN Lehmer includes 1. ... members.aol.com/jeff570/ambiguities.html An integer greater than 1 with no positive integer divisors other than 1 and itself; eg, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, and 19 are prime numbers. www.csa.com/hottopics/crypt/gloss.php |
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07 Feb 06 - 09:24 AM (#1663759) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: GUEST,Dazbo Thanks all. Yes, no and doesn't matter means dispute is resolved with all claiming victory! |
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07 Feb 06 - 09:27 AM (#1663764) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: Rapparee There's a rather extensive discussion of primes here. One of the links is to a test for the primacy of small numbers -- when I entered "-2" I received as an answer a statement that "we usually restrict...to [postive integers]." |
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07 Feb 06 - 10:15 PM (#1664116) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: The Fooles Troupe The (usually unstated) ASS-U-MEption has always be that all prime numbers are positive. But it depends on your daffy-nition... |
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07 Feb 06 - 10:17 PM (#1664117) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: Once Famous No, it is a prime steak. |
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07 Feb 06 - 10:23 PM (#1664120) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: The Fooles Troupe Go back to your train set Toy King - at least there you can enjoy your delusions of Complete Control and Ultimate Power! |
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07 Feb 06 - 10:34 PM (#1664127) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: GUEST,Joe_F If you are going to allow negative numbers as primes, it is only fair to allow them as factors as well, and that requires complicating the definition, because then (say) -2 does have factors other than itself & 1, viz. -1 & 2. --- Joe Fineman joe_f@verizon.net ||: Applause makes a good time to fart. :|| |
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08 Feb 06 - 10:36 AM (#1664207) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: Peace Well, maybe, but for sure it ain't a prime rib! |
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08 Feb 06 - 02:43 PM (#1664417) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: Rapparee Was that thing that God took from Adam in the Garden a prime rib? |
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08 Feb 06 - 04:21 PM (#1664519) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: McGrath of Harlow two is the smallest prime number Is minus two smaller than two? |
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08 Feb 06 - 04:41 PM (#1664532) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: John O'L No. It's the same size. |
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09 Feb 06 - 06:01 AM (#1665075) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: The Fooles Troupe Mod -2 = +2 |
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09 Feb 06 - 07:53 AM (#1665133) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: vectis I understood that the definition of 1 had changed and it was now called the 'perfect number'. It was a prime when I was at school. Maybe it is awkward to have itself and one being the same number ie 1. |
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09 Feb 06 - 10:14 AM (#1665217) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: Rapparee You know, there are lots of pretty darned good numbers but I'm sure I'd say that any of them are really prime.... (Is pi prime? Now there's a question for you!) |
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09 Feb 06 - 10:51 AM (#1665244) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: jeffp Pi is irrational. Like many people I know. |
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09 Feb 06 - 11:02 AM (#1665248) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: JennyO Me like pie! |
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09 Feb 06 - 07:00 PM (#1665574) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: John O'L A perfect number? Isn't that an insult to Allah? The Mathematics riots are just an 'equals' sign away. |
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09 Feb 06 - 09:25 PM (#1665674) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: Rapparee How can pi be irrational? You have to be rational to derive it! |
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09 Feb 06 - 11:35 PM (#1665756) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: GUEST,Joe_F jeffp: Indeed, it is a theorem of measure theory that almost all real numbers are irrational. The resemblance to people is striking. --- Joe Fineman joe_f@verizon.net ||: Whatever is not worth doing is worth doing well. :|| |
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10 Feb 06 - 06:53 PM (#1666442) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: The Fooles Troupe MORE PIE!!!!!! |
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10 Feb 06 - 10:30 PM (#1666550) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: GUEST Pi are round, cake are square. |
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10 Feb 06 - 10:37 PM (#1666553) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: John O'L Two pi aren't |
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11 Feb 06 - 07:03 AM (#1666721) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: The Fooles Troupe If the plural of 'pie' is 'pies', what is the plural of 'pi'? or is it 'singular' as well as 'irrational'***.... ***capable of being expressed as a ratio of 2 real numbers.... or whatever - it's years since I did real maths... |
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11 Feb 06 - 11:12 AM (#1666791) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: JennyO One pie in hole worth one pie in bush. |
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12 Feb 06 - 12:21 AM (#1666948) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: The Fooles Troupe What do you call determining the diameter of an igloo using the radius? Eskimo Pi Robin --- Just as easy as 3.141592653589793238462643383279502884197169 |
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12 Feb 06 - 05:51 PM (#1667070) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: GUEST Minus Two is definitely a prime number if that's the state of your bank account Bill the sound |
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13 Feb 06 - 01:24 PM (#1667342) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: Mr Red sorry to be contrary with myself but I just thought & agree with Joe Fineman negative numbers have four factors, divisible by X and -1 , plus two other factors -X and 1 invalidating the common denominator of "only two factors" Now if you lay on your side one eyebal is above the other Factor Eyes? |
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13 Feb 06 - 01:38 PM (#1667356) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: Bee-dubya-ell All I know about minus 2 is that it's not warm in centigrade and damned cold in fahrenheit. |
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13 Feb 06 - 08:27 PM (#1667775) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: McGrath of Harlow Free the Minus Two. |
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14 Feb 06 - 10:43 AM (#1668169) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: Paul Burke Was Hecuba a Priam number? |
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15 Feb 06 - 03:39 AM (#1669074) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: Paul Burke Sorry if this appears twice- some problem. A prime number has factors 1 and itself only. -3 has factors 1 and -3, and -1 and 3. So it's not prime. 3 has factors 1 and 3, but also -1 and -3, so is NOT prime. In fact, by the definition above, there are NO prime numbers. |
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15 Feb 06 - 04:55 AM (#1669100) Subject: RE: BS: Is minus 2 a Prime Number From: pavane And Pi is worse than irrational, it is transcendental. Meditate on that. |