The largest prime number currently known is 17 million decimal digits long. Even the text file that holds it is 20MB in size. It was calculated by the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search (GIMPS). GIMPS is a distributed challenge with many thousands of people taking part by “donating” the idle cycles on their computers to the task of calculating. GIMPS was created in 1996 and using freely available software has been responsible for the discovery of the last 14 large Mersenne Primes.
This challenge is not aiming to break the record for the largest prime number. Instead we want to explore all the areas in the number space that have previously been ignored. The challenge is open to teams and individuals. You can stick to your own ideas or you can pool your knowledge and skills with others.
Maths
As well as searching for prime numbers this challenge aims to foster an interest in maths, science and computer-science among the general populace and therefore increase interest and participation of these subjects within higher education. Also to demonstrate the growing validity of cloud-computing as more than something used to store your photographs, music and videos.
You only have to look at the popularity of factual maths and science material presented in interesting ways in the last few years to realise we may be on the cusp of a new renaissance in this area. Simon Singh’s excellent book Fermat’s Last Theorem explains maths in an easy-going, easy-to-digest way; or Dava Sobel’s riveting “Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time” are print examples of the resurgent popular interest in maths and science.
And then of course TV programmes, such as Dara O’Briain’s School of Hard Sums or
comedy TV shows such as The Big Bang Theory are all helping to introduce us to the
world of maths, science and technology.
It is predicted that there will be a drastic shortage of maths/science and
computer-science graduates in the future. Through challenges such as this one and
the TV programmes mentioned earlier, we’re hoping to change that. The signs are
looking good that interest is gaining momentum.
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing continues to gain momentum and there’s no doubt that’s the way many of us will consume huge amounts of computing and storage in the future, but both of these areas still suffer from low awareness. This challenge will change that. It will show that the power of server-based cloud-computing can be unleashed on everything from streaming an MP3 file to your computer, to calculating huge prime numbers. The challenge is presented in association with Microsoft.
Microsoft is the provider of free cloud-computing subscriptions which offer up to £130 (US$200) worth of cloud computing for more than 30 days. You could run up to 12 servers, 24 hours per day for an entire month to do your calculations for you. If you don’t know how to do the calculations, we’ll help you: the videos in the sign-up steps will show you how.
