Math Problem Statement

Prove that there are infinitely many primes of the form 4n+3.

Solution

To prove that there are infinitely many primes of the form 4n+34n + 3, we can use a strategy similar to Euclid’s proof of the infinitude of primes, but tailored for primes of the form 4n+34n + 3.

Step-by-Step Proof:

  1. Assumption (Contradiction Setup):
    Assume that there are only finitely many primes of the form 4n+34n + 3. Let these primes be p1,p2,,pkp_1, p_2, \dots, p_k, where each pi=4ni+3p_i = 4n_i + 3 for some integer nin_i.

  2. Construct a New Number:
    Consider the number N=4p1p2pk1N = 4 \cdot p_1 p_2 \dots p_k - 1. This number is one less than a multiple of 4. Therefore, N3 (mod 4)N \equiv 3 \ (\text{mod}\ 4), i.e., NN is of the form 4n+34n + 3.

  3. Prime Factorization of NN:
    Now, NN must either be prime or have a prime factor. Let qq be any prime factor of NN. Since N3 (mod 4)N \equiv 3 \ (\text{mod}\ 4), we know that qq cannot be of the form 4n+14n + 1, because a product of numbers of the form 4n+14n + 1 remains of the form 4n+14n + 1. Therefore, qq must be of the form 4n+34n + 3.

  4. Contradiction:
    Since qq is a prime divisor of NN, it must divide 4p1p2pk14 \cdot p_1 p_2 \dots p_k - 1. However, qq also divides p1p2pkp_1 p_2 \dots p_k (because it's one of these primes), meaning that qq divides the difference between 4p1p2pk4 \cdot p_1 p_2 \dots p_k and 1. But this would imply that qq divides 1, which is impossible.

  5. Conclusion:
    The assumption that there are only finitely many primes of the form 4n+34n + 3 leads to a contradiction. Therefore, there must be infinitely many primes of the form 4n+34n + 3.

This completes the proof.


Would you like more details or have any questions?
Here are 5 related questions to explore:

  1. Why is N3 (mod 4)N \equiv 3 \ (\text{mod}\ 4) when constructed as 4p1p2pk14 \cdot p_1 p_2 \dots p_k - 1?
  2. Can a similar method be used to prove the infinitude of primes of the form 4n+14n + 1?
  3. What is the significance of the prime factorization in this proof?
  4. How does this proof compare to Euclid's original proof of the infinitude of primes?
  5. What happens if we modify the construction of NN to consider primes of other forms?

Tip: In number theory, constructing a number that leads to a contradiction is a common and powerful technique for proving the infinitude of certain types of primes.

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Number Theory
Prime Numbers
Modular Arithmetic

Formulas

N = 4 * p_1 * p_2 * ... * p_k - 1

Theorems

Infinitude of Primes
Contradiction Proof
Modular Arithmetic Properties

Suitable Grade Level

Undergraduate (Number Theory)