a clarification to the correction There ARE algorithms to calculate whether a given number is prime or not. Here is one: <quote="Nuno Garcia">You just have to divide the number consecutively by others until you conclude that there are no divisors and thus the number is prime</quote> There ISN'T an algorithm that provides a list of prime numbers or for instance, the first prime number bigger than 1,000,000.
On Dec 11, 11:27 am, "Jesse Lesperance" <[email protected]> wrote: > A correction to your statement, there ARE algorithims to calculate the > prime of any given number. In fact, those algorithims are used for > many things like SSL encryption > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Dec 10, 2009, at 7:22 PM, "Nuno Garcia" <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > > Hi, I'm picking the last part of the question to answer you. > > > Everyone knows how important the prime numbers are in Computer > > Science. And also everyone should know that there is no algorithm to > > compute / identify if a number is prime or not: you just have to > > divide the number consecutively by others until you conclude that > > there are no divisors and thus the number is prime. > > > The difference between knowing your math and do this in a brute force > > approach is the difference between being able to calculate if a number > > is prime or not (specially for very large numbers). > > > For instance, is a number is not divisible by 2, it will not be > > divisible by 4, or by 6 or by any other pair. So if you conclude that > > the number is not divisible by 3, you can skip the pairs in the > > division check. And the same thing applies to multiples of 3, 5, and > > so on. > > > This is just using concrete maths. You can find examples in almost any > > area of maths, for example, in graph theory. The shortest path > > algorithm that routes our data packets in the Internet is a purely > > mathematical algorithm which happens to be usable in computer networks > > (thanks, E. Dijkstra!). > > > Best regards, > > > Nuno > > > 2009/12/10 Rammohan Vadlamani <[email protected]>: > >> Hi all, > >> I have been practising java programming for the past one > >> year and > >> have learnt pretty much of it. But I want to program really big > >> stuff. Can > >> any one tell me how should I proceed. I have also heard that > >> algorithms and > >> mathematics play a big role in programming. Can any one let me know > >> the > >> significance of algorithms and maths in the field of computer > >> programming. > > >> Rammohan > > >> -- > >> To post to this group, send email to > >> [email protected] > >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > >> [email protected] > >> For more options, visit this group at > >>http://groups.google.com/group/javaprogrammingwithpassion?hl=en > > > -- > > To post to this group, send email to > > [email protected] > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > [email protected] > > For more options, visit this group > > athttp://groups.google.com/group/javaprogrammingwithpassion?hl=en- Hide > > quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - -- To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/javaprogrammingwithpassion?hl=en
