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TamTam
2007-01-13 13:53:14
Puzzling Prime Problem

I have a problem running around my head, which I have no clue how to solve. What's more, I don't know if it's easy or hard (or even possible!) to solve, which is why I'm not posting it as a riddle on the site. But my curiosity wishes to know the answer nonetheless, which brings me to the forum. My apologies if I'm making a terrible mistake.

Here goes: How many primes are there of the form N^2 + 1, where N is a natural number?

Gamer
2007-01-13 19:01:15
Re: Puzzling Prime Problem

I think you would get a similar discussion if you submitted it in the queue as you would here.

We have several problems here which have no known solution, but it's possible someone will recognize it as being too difficult for the site in the queue.

TamTam
2007-01-13 19:43:24
Re: Puzzling Prime Problem

Except I'm not quite sure how the queue works, or how to view it, whereas the forum is in plain site.

Again, I'm sorry.

Charlie
2007-01-14 13:05:19
Re: Puzzling Prime Problem

When you are logged on, as you must be for posting here, from the home page, near the upper right, is a link to "Submit a Problem". Click on it and you will be given a choice of category. You can choose "Numbers" for this problem. Leave the difficulty at 3 if you don't know how hard it is. Put the puzzle itself in the text box reserved for that and click that you don't know the answer. You'll have to preview the way it looks, but then, you can switch "preview" to "submit".

Later, to check on people's comments, you can click on "your problems" from the home page, and then on this problem, so you can see comments and make replies.

As your puzzle can be worded as one sentence, you need not even worry about html markup.

TamTam
2007-01-14 16:09:59
Re: Puzzling Prime Problem

Okay, then. Thanks a lot!

Gamer
2007-01-14 20:51:51
Re: Puzzling Prime Problem

"Except I'm not quite sure how the queue works, or how to view it, whereas the forum is in plain site."

This question is good in the forums since people here are willing to help new people with the features of the site. You submitted a problem before, so I assume you know how to submit problems.

Users under Journeymen level can't view or vote in the queue. You can read the User Levels page (http://perplexus.info/levels.php) to learn more about what each level does.

TamTam
2007-01-15 15:27:45
Re: Puzzling Prime Problem

Great, now I'm confused again. What did I gain by posting the problem to the queue if I can't view it? Ah well....with some luck, it will be approved, and I'll still get an answer.

And did you have to quote my misspelling? It was bad enough the first time. ^_~

brianjn
2007-01-16 21:30:43
Re: Puzzling Prime Problem

TamTam, two points re your last comment.

1. Just because the puzzle is in the queue does not mean that it will be approved. There could be a lot of discussion about it which could lead to it nevere seeing the Perplexus home page. On the other hand it could survive.

2. You certainly cannot see it in the queue, but you can track the progress of your puzzle through the queue by going to "your information" "Edit your problems" and then check on any comments that are made about it when its queue placement in below 11. You will even have the opportunity to respond. Sometimes you will be asked for clarification, or a suggested rework of the text.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_number is a good place to start if the puzzle is rejected.

Trust this is useful for your purposes.

Larry
2007-01-17 12:22:15
Re: Puzzling Prime Problem

TamTam,
I just want to emphasize one point about the queue (which was already made):
If your level is less than Journeyman, you can't see the queue as a whole, but when YOUR problem gets to be in the top ten, I think a new link appears on your screen allowing you to see your problem in the queue as well as the comments and up or down votes, and you can add comments of your own. You can also still make minor changes to the problem such as changing the title, the wording or spelling etc.

TamTam
2007-01-17 14:47:19
Re: Puzzling Prime Problem

Okay, I think I get it all now. And what's more, I found out that my problem is currently unsolved: http://primes.utm.edu/notes/conjectures/
Figures I'd think up something that has yet to be proven....

Thank you all for being so helpful! It's nice that you have patience for those of us who are a tad slow.

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