- Only a finite number (38) of Mersenne primes (hence perfect numbers) are presently known
Is it true that every even perfect number comes from a Mersenne prime? If so, then this should
be stated on the page. If not, then the above statement is not cogent.
Also, if there is indeed such a one-to-one connection between Mersenne primes and perfect numbers,
then the Great Internet Mersenne Prime search should probably be mentioned.--AxelBoldt
It's true that every known perfect number comes from a Mersenne
prime. All even perfect numbers come from Mersenne primes, and no odd perfect numbers are known. I believe this is stated on the page, but I'll try to make it clearer.
The GIMP is referenced on the Mersenne prime page. I'm intending to eliminate as much of the redundancy between this page and that one as possible, and I'll include a more emphatic pointer from here to there. -- Hank Ramsey
"The GIMP" is an image-processing program. "GIMPS" is the Mersenne Prime search.
Yes, of course. orry about that. - Hank
Ok, I see it now: Euler proved that the even perfect numbers come from Mersenne primes.
Eliminating redundancy is of course good; the paragraph about 10:00 am Los Angeles campus appears on both pages
and I think it has a bit too much detail :-) --AxelBoldt
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