Show that there are infinitely many positive prime numbers.
Answer:
- Let us assume that there are a finite number of positive prime numbers namely, p1, p2, p3 ..... pn, such that p1<p2<p3 ..... <pn.
- Let x be any number such that,
x=1+(p1×p2×p3×.....×pn)
Observe that (p1×p2×p3×.....×pn) is divisible by each of p1, p2, p3 ..... pn but x=1+(p1×p2×p3×.....×pn) is not divisible by any of p1, p2, p3 ..... pn. - Since x is not divisible by any of the prime numbers p1, p2, p3 ..... pn, therefore, x is either a prime number or has prime divisors other than p1, p2, p3 ..... pn.
This contradicts our assumption that there are a finite number of positive prime numbers. - Hence, there are infinitely many positive prime numbers.