Is 0 or 1 prime?

[damiano]

Originally posted by: AIWGuru
You have a choice to make here:
"Are 0 and 1 prime numbers?"
OR:
"Is 0 or 1 a prime number?"

The "is" option implies that one of the two is a prime and you're not sure which one. Since you're not sure about either, I would use the "are" option.

change the title to YAHT
yet another highjacked thread

 

[ManSnake]

Originally posted by: hdeck
neither are.

Let me hop on the bandwagon also. It should be "neither is".

 

[AvesPKS]

Originally posted by: DrPizza

Originally posted by: dullard
By mathematical definition, 1 is a prime number. However by convention, 1 is excluded from the list of prime numbers.

Hey Dullard, how's it going? I tend to always see you in these threads.

The correct definition of prime number is: A whole number greater than 1 that is divisible by only itself and 1. Most teachers seem to forget to include the first part about being greater than 1. The reason for prime numbers is for prime factorization (factoring something completely into its components).

Every number has a unique prime factorization. i.e. 60's prime factorization is 2*2*3*5.

If 1 was a prime factor, then the factorization could be written as 2*2*3*5*1 or 2*2*3*5*1*1 or 2*2*3*5*1*1*1*1*1*1 or...

Prime numbers are useful for quite a few applications, especially including encryption.

How could the factorization of 1 be written as "2*2*3*5*1 or 2*2*3*5*1*1 or 2*2*3*5*1*1*1*1*1*1 or... "?

 

[Muzzan]

He was referring to the factorisation of 60.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: konichiwa

Originally posted by: Goosemaster

Originally posted by: Syringer
ARE 0 or 1 prime?

Wrong. "Is 0 or 1 prime" is correct.

WTF!

<---douche:disgust:


I must have been on crack when I wrote that!

 

[GoodToGo]

It depends on what your definition of "is" is.

 

[spanky]

on a totaly unrelated note... link

 

[Tom]

how many irrational numbers are there ?

 

[OIKOS]

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[silverpig]

Originally posted by: Dead Parrot Sketch
how many irrational numbers are there ?

Infinitely many.

 

"1 is depending on what book you read. 2 is the first real prime.

0 is hard because it denotes an absence of value."

I should correct this impression: No, it doesn't depend upon books, unless you're reading some philosophy book or decided to formulate your own system of consistency. If you do have a mathematical book that says otherwise, I would really love a reference.

Prime numbers are a defined set. Part of the definition is the exclusion of the number "1" and "0" (i.e., n > 1) (in addition to the exclusion of negative integers).

 

[HonkeyDonk]

Originally posted by: AIWGuru
You have a choice to make here:
"Are 0 and 1 prime numbers?"
OR:
"Is 0 or 1 a prime number?"

The "is" option implies that one of the two is a prime and you're not sure which one. Since you're not sure about either, I would use the "are" option.

motion to ban.