document.write( "Question 619418: Can you please explain this problem to me. I have given some of the solutions I have tried but do not know if I am doing it right.\r
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document.write( "To prove or disprove the following: The expression n2 - n + 41 produces a prime number for every positive integer n. (Hint: try the following numbers 1, 10, and 41). \r
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document.write( "I have tried this in two seperate ways-The first reading the 2 as a power of. Therefore making the problem n^2 -n + 41. The second attempt was n(2) -n +41. \r
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document.write( "n^2 - n + 41 = 1^2 - 1 + 41 = 1 - 1 + 41 = n=41\r
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document.write( "n(2) - n + 41 = 1(2) - 1 + 41 = 2 - 1 + 41 = 1 + 41 = 41 \n" );
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Algebra.Com's Answer #389652 by jim_thompson5910(35256)![]() ![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! Try n = 1\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "n^2 - n + 41\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "1^2 - 1 + 41\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "1 - 1 + 41\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "41\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Which is prime. So it works so far.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "-------------------------------------------------------\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Try n = 2\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "n^2 - n + 41\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "2^2 - 2 + 41\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "4 - 2 + 41\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "43\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Which is prime. So it works so far.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "-------------------------------------------------------\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Try n = 41\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "n^2 - n + 41\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "41^2 - 41 + 41\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "41(41 - 1 + 1)\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "41(41)\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Which is NOT prime since we can write the final expression as a product of two primes. So this is where the formula breaks down. \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " |