[net.math] "Re: prime numbers

budd@ihlpf.UUCP (10/27/83)

#R:arizona:-558700:ihlpf:6200019:  0:371
ihlpf!dap1    Oct 24 19:46:00 1983

The second result is easy.  It's the same as saying that

n^2 - 1 = (n - 1)(n + 1) | 24 = 3*4*2  ('|' means divisibility).

Since n is prime and greater than 5, we know that:

a. one of n-1 or n+1 is divisible by three.

b. one of n-1 or n+1 is divisible by two

c. one of n-1 or n+1 is divisible by four.

So the whole thing is divisible by 24.

Darrell Plank
Bell Labs