English

Wright's Fourth Prime

Number Theory 2019-03-28 v4

Abstract

Wright proved that there exists a number cc such that if g0=cg_0 = c and gn+1=2gng_{n+1} = 2^{g_n}, then gn\lfloor g_n \rfloor is prime for all n>0n > 0. Wright gave c=1.9287800c = 1.9287800 as an example. This value of cc produces three primes, g1=3\lfloor g_1 \rfloor = 3, g2=13\lfloor g_2 \rfloor = 13, and g3=16381\lfloor g_3 \rfloor = 16381. But with this cc, g4\lfloor g_4 \rfloor is a 4932-digit composite number. However, this slightly larger value of cc, c=1.9287800+8.2843104933, c = 1.9287800 + 8.2843 \cdot 10^{-4933}, reproduces Wright's first three primes and generates a fourth: g4=191396642046311049840383730258  303277517800273822015417418499 \lfloor g_4 \rfloor = 191396642046311049840383730258 \text{ } \ldots \text{ } 303277517800273822015417418499 is a 4932-digit prime. Moreover, the sum of the reciprocals of the primes in Wright's sequence is transcendental.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1705.09741,
  title  = {Wright's Fourth Prime},
  author = {Robert Baillie},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1705.09741},
  year   = {2019}
}

Comments

Ancillary files contain primality certificates for two 4932-digit primes. P4932Proof.txt has a primality certificate from primo. This is a text file with PC-style end of line characters. cert2To16382minus35411.txt has a primality certificate from PARI/GP. This file is one (long) line of text

R2 v1 2026-06-22T20:00:42.481Z