Proving the primality of a quadratic over the natural numbers

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the primality of the quadratic function \( y = 3x^2 + 3x + 1 \) for natural numbers \( x \). Participants reference Goldbach's theorem from 1752, which states that a polynomial \( f \in \mathbb{Z}[x] \) that yields prime values for all \( n \geq 1 \) must be constant. The quadratic function is shown to produce composite values, such as \( y(5) = 91 \), confirming that nonconstant polynomials cannot be prime for all natural numbers. The conversation concludes that while some values may be prime, the function does not maintain primality universally.

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  • Familiarity with Goldbach's theorem
  • Basic knowledge of discriminants in quadratic equations
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mathworker
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is there any way to prove or disprove the statement:
y=3x^2+3x+1 is prime for all x belongs to natural numbers...
 
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Re: help!

mathworker said:
is there any way to prove or disprove the statement:
y=3x^2+3x+1 is prime for all x belongs to natural numbers...

Yes, use the following theorem (Goldbach 1752):

If $f\in\mathbb{Z}[x]$ has the property that $f(n)$ is prime for all $n\ge 1$, then $f$ must be a constant.
 
Re: help!

mathworker said:
is there any way to prove or disprove the statement:
y=3x^2+3x+1 is prime for all x belongs to natural numbers...

Is...

$$ y = 3\ (x-x_{1})\ (x-x_{2})\ (1)$$

... where $x_{1}$ and $x_{2}$ are the roots of the equation $x^{2} + x + \frac{1}{3} = 0$. The discriminat is <0, so that no real roots exists and that means that no real factor of y in (1) exists...

Kind regards

$\chi$ $\sigma$
 
Re: help!

chisigma said:
Is...

$$ y = 3\ (x-x_{1})\ (x-x_{2})\ (1)$$

... where $x_{1}$ and $x_{2}$ are the roots of the equation $x^{2} + x + \frac{1}{3} = 0$. The discriminat is <0, so that no real roots exists and that means that no real factor of y in (1) exists...

Kind regards

$\chi$ $\sigma$

I don't undesrtand. We have $y(x)=3(x-a)(x-\bar{a})$ with $a=(-3+\sqrt{3}i)/6$, however $y(n)=3(n-a)(n-\bar{a})$ could be composite or prime.
 
Last edited:
Re: help!

chisigma said:
Is...

$$ y = 3\ (x-x_{1})\ (x-x_{2})\ (1)$$

... where $x_{1}$ and $x_{2}$ are the roots of the equation $x^{2} + x + \frac{1}{3} = 0$. The discriminant is <0, so that no real roots exists and that means that no real factor of y in (1) exists...

Kind regards

$\chi$ $\sigma$

but if we consider x^2+x+1=y whose discriminant too is less than zero..
for x=4 it gives 21 which is not prime...:confused:
 
Re: help!

Fernando Revilla said:
Yes, use the following theorem (Goldbach 1752):

If $f\in\mathbb{Z}[x]$ has the property that $f(n)$ is prime for all $n\ge 1$, then $f$ must be a constant.

but given function is not constant and i checked y =f(X) for some numbers and found it prime every time
 
Re: help!

mathworker said:
but given function is not constant and i checked y =f(X) for some numbers and found it prime every time

$$3\cdot 5^2 + 3\cdot 5 + 1 = 91 = 7\cdot 13$$ this is the smallest non-prime value.

Nonconstant polynomials can't be forever prime, indeed suppose $$f(x)=a_n\cdot x^n +\ldots + a_1\cdot x^1 + a_0$$

Then imagine it were always prime, and then $$f(x)-f(y)=a_n\cdot (x^n-y^n)+\ldots + a_1\cdot (x-y)$$ right?

Well, clearly $$x-y$$ divides $$x^n-y^n=(x-y)\cdot \left(x^{n-1}+x^{n-2}y+\ldots +x y^{n-2}+y^{n-1}\right)$$ for each $$n$$, and so $$(x-y)|(f(x)-f(y))$$

Thus if $$p$$ were a prime dividing $$f(r)$$ for some $$r\geq 1$$, we have $$\left( (k\cdot p + r) - r\right) | \left( f(k\cdot p + r) - f(r) \right)$$ for each $$k$$ and so, since $$p|f(r)$$, it follows that $$p | f(p\cdot k+r)$$ for each $$k\geq 1$$.
But $$f(p\cdot k+r)$$ for $$k\geq 1$$ can't all equal $$p$$, since $$f$$ would otherwise have to be constant. Hence some $$f(k\cdot p + r)$$ must be composite.

So with this construction in mind we could note that $$f(1)=7$$, and so $$f(7\cdot k + 1)$$ is nonprime for some $$k\geq 1$$, check for instance $$f(8)=217$$ which, as we saw, must be a multiple of $$7$$.
 
Re: help!

mathworker said:
i checked y =f(X) for some numbers and found it prime every time

For some, but not for all. :)
 
Re: help!

Fernando Revilla said:
For some, but not for all. :)

thank you for providing the theorem and quick reply...:D
 

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