This problem has been going for over 2000 years and is still open even with today's massive computer power thrown at it, so I don't think it's gonna be solved anytime soon. Maybe if quantum computers ever achieve their potential it will be, but remember, when staring at infinity, nothing can touch it, so the problem may be intractable.
The biggest known perfect number is a mere 41 million digits long, so you could read it out aloud in about an hour.
Veritasium explains it all in great detail in another high quality science video:
Here's the Mersenne prime finder project that you can take part in, plus you can even download this little number as a text file and open it in Notepad. Have a guess on whether it ends in a 6 or an 8 before you look at it. It's the latest one at the time of writing, number 52. Click on the number in the perfect number column to download it. Note that the numbers are shown as maths expressions, not the actual numbers.
www.mersenne.org
And of course, the obligatory Wikipedia article:
en.wikipedia.org
And now for the ultimate nerdout: the number is actually available as two physical books from Amazon! Each 593 pages long and yes, I'm tempted to get them. Makes for perfect bedtime reading that would send me to sleep in no time flat.
The biggest known perfect number is a mere 41 million digits long, so you could read it out aloud in about an hour.
Veritasium explains it all in great detail in another high quality science video:
Here's the Mersenne prime finder project that you can take part in, plus you can even download this little number as a text file and open it in Notepad. Have a guess on whether it ends in a 6 or an 8 before you look at it. It's the latest one at the time of writing, number 52. Click on the number in the perfect number column to download it. Note that the numbers are shown as maths expressions, not the actual numbers.
List of known Mersenne prime numbers - PrimeNet
List of all known Mersenne prime numbers along with the discoverer's name, dates of discovery and the method used to prove its primality.
And of course, the obligatory Wikipedia article:
Perfect number - Wikipedia
And now for the ultimate nerdout: the number is actually available as two physical books from Amazon! Each 593 pages long and yes, I'm tempted to get them. Makes for perfect bedtime reading that would send me to sleep in no time flat.
The 52nd Mersenne Prime (Volume 1): Amazon.co.uk: Forrest, Bush: Books
Buy The 52nd Mersenne Prime (Volume 1) by Forrest, Bush (ISBN: ) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
www.amazon.co.uk
The 52nd Mersenne Prime (Volume 2): M136279841: Amazon.co.uk: Science, For: 9798344222714: Books
Buy The 52nd Mersenne Prime (Volume 2): M136279841 by Science, For (ISBN: 9798344222714) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
www.amazon.co.uk
