Are There Infinite Primes of the Form 4k + 1?

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In summary, the form 4k + 1 is significant in the study of prime numbers because it represents all primes that are congruent to 1 modulo 4. An infinite number of primes of this form have been discovered, but it is uncertain if there are an infinite number of them. Research on this topic is ongoing, with various conjectures and patterns observed among these primes. A proof or disproof of an infinite number of such primes would have significant implications in mathematics, particularly in number theory and cryptography.
  • #1
Euge
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Here is this week's POTW:

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Show that there are infinitely many primes of the form 4k + 1 where $k$ is an integer.

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Remember to read the https://mathhelpboards.com/showthread.php?772-Problem-of-the-Week-%28POTW%29-Procedure-and-Guidelines to find out how to https://mathhelpboards.com/forms.php?do=form&fid=2!
 
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  • #2
Congratulations to castor28 for his correct solution, which can be read below:

Assume that there are only finitely many such primes, and call them $p_1,\ldots,p_n$. Note that, as $p_1=5$, this set is not empty.

Consider the number $N=\left(\prod{p_i}\right)^2+1$. Because $p_i\equiv1\pmod4$ for all $i$, $N\equiv2\pmod4$. As $N>2$, this shows that $N$ is not a power of $2$ and has at least one odd prime factor $q$.

We have $\left(\prod{p_i}\right)^2\equiv-1\pmod{q}$, which shows that $-1$ is a quadratic residue modulo $q$. By the laws of quadratic reciprocity, this implies that $q\equiv1\pmod4$. However, none of the $p_i$ can divide $N$, and $q$ is a prime of the form $4k+1$ different from the $p_i$; this contradicts the fact that the set $\{p_i\}$ contains all such primes.
 

Related to Are There Infinite Primes of the Form 4k + 1?

1. What is the significance of the form 4k + 1 in the study of prime numbers?

The form 4k + 1 is significant because it represents all prime numbers that are congruent to 1 modulo 4. This is important because these primes have a unique property that makes them useful in certain mathematical calculations and cryptographic algorithms.

2. How many prime numbers of the form 4k + 1 have been discovered so far?

As of now, an infinite number of primes of the form 4k + 1 have been discovered. However, it is not known if there are an infinite number of these primes.

3. What is the current state of research on the infinite primes of the form 4k + 1?

The question of whether there are an infinite number of primes of the form 4k + 1 is still an open problem in mathematics. Many mathematicians have studied this question and have made various conjectures and discoveries, but a definitive answer has not been found yet.

4. Are there any patterns or relationships between primes of the form 4k + 1?

There are some patterns that have been observed among primes of the form 4k + 1, such as the fact that they often appear in pairs with a difference of 4. However, there is no known formula or pattern that can generate all primes of this form.

5. What implications would a proof or disproof of an infinite number of primes of the form 4k + 1 have on mathematics?

A proof of an infinite number of primes of the form 4k + 1 would have significant implications in mathematics, particularly in the field of number theory and cryptography. It would also provide valuable insights into the distribution and properties of prime numbers. On the other hand, a disproof would also have important implications, potentially leading to new avenues of research and discoveries in prime number theory.

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