The search for prime numbers has been a constant endeavour for curious minds since ancient times. For centuries, mathematicians have been trying, in vain, to find a formula that generates prime numbers.
Mersenne primes are prime numbers of the form
where
p is prime. Not all Mersenne numbers are prime. For instance, primes are generated when
p = 2, 3, 5, 7,
11, 13:
3, 7, 31, 127, 2047, 8191
2047 = 23 x 89 is not prime.