

Ask HN: Why are large prime numbers important? What is the largest one found? - o_s_m


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gus_massa
It’s a very generic question. Why are you asking it???

Let’s try to give some information. First read Wikipedia:
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_number](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_number)

> Why are large prime numbers important?

Pehaps I’m biased, but IMHO:
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_number#Fundamental_theore...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_number#Fundamental_theorem_of_arithmetic)

> What is the largest one found?

List at the bottom of the section:
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_number#Special-
purpose_al...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_number#Special-
purpose_algorithms_and_the_largest_known_prime)

