Is a^2+c Always a Prime Number Under Certain Conditions?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around whether the expression a^2 + c can always yield a prime number under certain conditions related to the parity of a and c, their divisibility, and the nature of prime numbers. The scope includes theoretical exploration and mathematical reasoning.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant proposes that a^2 + c can be prime if a is even and c is odd, or vice versa, with additional conditions on divisibility and negativity.
  • Another participant challenges the usefulness of showing that a number can be prime simply because it is odd, providing counterexamples with specific values of a and c.
  • A later reply questions the clarity of the initial claim regarding the uniqueness of prime numbers in relation to powers of 2, suggesting that every integer can be expressed in binary form, which contradicts the initial assertion.
  • Further, a participant introduces a new condition that a^2 - c should not be divisible by a - c, asking if this would satisfy the conditions for a prime number.
  • Another participant provides a counterexample using specific values of a and c, demonstrating that the proposed conditions do not guarantee a prime result.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the conditions under which a^2 + c can be prime, with no consensus reached on the validity of the initial claims or the proposed conditions.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved assumptions regarding the definitions of prime numbers and the conditions for a and c, as well as the implications of divisibility in the context of the discussion.

shivakumar06
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dear sir, i wish to know if i am correct. a^2+c can be a prime number provided if a is even then c is odd or vice versa, also a and c are not multiple of same number. and c is not a negative square of any number. finally prime number is unique combination of 1,2,and other powers of 2. each power of two is used only once. i wish to know if prime number is bound by it
thank you
 
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I don't think you have shown more than those are odd numbers. Showing that a number can be prime, because it's odd, is not terribly useful. For a = 3 and b = 2, you getg 11, which is prime. For a = 5 and b = 2 you get 27, which is not.

I don't understand your last two sentences.
 
shivakumar06 said:
finally prime number is unique combination of 1,2,and other powers of 2
Every integer can be expressed this way. It's the binary or 2-adic representation. (I assume you are talking about integers, although it is not quite clear to me, since you just say "numbers" and "negative squares".)
each power of two is used only once. i wish to know if prime number is bound by it
thank you
If you mean "once and only once" by "only once" it is wrong for ##1+2+4+8 = 15##.
If you mean "at most once" by "only once" it is wrong since all integers have such a representation.
So the final answer to your question seems to be: No.
 
Vanadium 50 said:
I don't think you have shown more than those are odd numbers. Showing that a number can be prime, because it's odd, is not terribly useful. For a = 3 and b = 2, you getg 11, which is prime. For a = 5 and b = 2 you get 27, which is not.

I don't understand your last two sentences.
sir if we add a condition that a^2-c should not be divisible a-c. will this satisfy condition for prime number?
 
What about ##a = 12## , ##c = 25## ? ##a## is even, ##c## is odd, they don 't have a common divisor, ## a - c = -13 ## does not divide ## a^2 -c = 144 - 25 = 119 = 7 * 17## and ##a^2 + c = 144 + 25 = 13^2## is not prime.
 

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