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 , we can use a strategy similar to Euclid’s proof of the infinitude of primes, but tailored for primes of the form .
Step-by-Step Proof:
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Assumption (Contradiction Setup):
Assume that there are only finitely many primes of the form . Let these primes be , where each for some integer . -
Construct a New Number:
Consider the number . This number is one less than a multiple of 4. Therefore, , i.e., is of the form . -
Prime Factorization of :
Now, must either be prime or have a prime factor. Let be any prime factor of . Since , we know that cannot be of the form , because a product of numbers of the form remains of the form . Therefore, must be of the form . -
Contradiction:
Since is a prime divisor of , it must divide . However, also divides (because it's one of these primes), meaning that divides the difference between and 1. But this would imply that divides 1, which is impossible. -
Conclusion:
The assumption that there are only finitely many primes of the form leads to a contradiction. Therefore, there must be infinitely many primes of the form .
This completes the proof.
Would you like more details or have any questions?
Here are 5 related questions to explore:
- Why is when constructed as ?
- Can a similar method be used to prove the infinitude of primes of the form ?
- What is the significance of the prime factorization in this proof?
- How does this proof compare to Euclid's original proof of the infinitude of primes?
- What happens if we modify the construction of 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)
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