Prime time for Missouri computing team

Iria · Dec 27, 2005, 12:07 AM

A Central Missouri State University team using more than 700 computers has found the largest prime number so far, a gargantuan 9,152,052-digit numeral.

The discovery, made Dec. 15 and confirmed Saturday, marked the second time this year that a cooperative computing project called the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search (GIMPS) has found a new largest prime. But like February's find, it falls short of the 10 million digit size required to earn a $100,000 prize from the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

The GIMPS project harnesses the collective power volunteered by more than 200,000 computers among which the task of scouring all possible Mersenne primes is divided. Although some prime numbers are used in encryption and other practical tasks, the largest primes are chiefly of academic interest.
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Read More / Source: News.com

calidan · Dec 27, 2005, 02:05 AM

Cool.

CMSU is in the town I grew up in.

That's one huge number.

nForcer · Dec 27, 2005, 04:10 AM

Hey, I have some friends who attended CMSU. I've been there on more than a couple occasions myself! Nice campus.

Dec 27, 2005, 12:07 AM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 87	Prime time for Missouri computing team A Central Missouri State University team using more than 700 computers has found the largest prime number so far, a gargantuan 9,152,052-digit numeral. The discovery, made Dec. 15 and confirmed Saturday, marked the second time this year that a cooperative computing project called the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search (GIMPS) has found a new largest prime. But like February's find, it falls short of the 10 million digit size required to earn a $100,000 prize from the Electronic Frontier Foundation. The GIMPS project harnesses the collective power volunteered by more than 200,000 computers among which the task of scouring all possible Mersenne primes is divided. Although some prime numbers are used in encryption and other practical tasks, the largest primes are chiefly of academic interest. ____________ Read More / Source: News.com

Dec 27, 2005, 02:05 AM	#2
calidan Frozen in Carbonite Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 1,409 Rep Power: 57 System Specs	Cool. CMSU is in the town I grew up in. That's one huge number. __________________ Steam Community :: ID :: calidan "Don't try to be like Jackie. There is only one Jackie.... Study computers instead." - Jackie Chan

Dec 27, 2005, 04:10 AM	#3
nForcer Twice the fun! Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 1,404 Rep Power: 0	Hey, I have some friends who attended CMSU. I've been there on more than a couple occasions myself! Nice campus.