This is some serious math, too. It shows that 211 - 1 (which is 2047) is not a prime number, because it's 23*89.
Numbers of the form 2p - 1 for prime p are called Mersenne numbers, and often they are prime. They are interesting for several reasons; for one thing, they are very big, so all the largest prime numbers we know are Mersenne primes.
But just because a number fits the formula does not guarantee it is prime. 2047 proves this - it is the smallest Mersenne number that is not actually a Mersenne prime.
![image showing [Off-site] Futurama does the math](d8c46bf1-d567-5461-8592-e18fa760e0af.jpg)
Frozty23 on June 30th, 2017 at 12:15 UTC »
Maybe they should have squared it, too.
xxruruxx on June 30th, 2017 at 12:22 UTC »
Too bad Futurama won't be on Netflix anymore. :(
Chronophilia on June 30th, 2017 at 12:23 UTC »
This is some serious math, too. It shows that 211 - 1 (which is 2047) is not a prime number, because it's 23*89.
Numbers of the form 2p - 1 for prime p are called Mersenne numbers, and often they are prime. They are interesting for several reasons; for one thing, they are very big, so all the largest prime numbers we know are Mersenne primes.
But just because a number fits the formula does not guarantee it is prime. 2047 proves this - it is the smallest Mersenne number that is not actually a Mersenne prime.
The Futurama writers certainly like their math!