[net.physics] Prove that All Odd Numbers Are Prime

stevenm (01/19/83)

Ok, I can't stand it anymore. Here is my humble submission to the
engineer/scientist/mathemetician joke genre:

Someone asks a mathematician, a physicist, an electrical engineer,
and a computer scientist to prove the all odd numbers are prime.

Mathematician: Well, 1 is prime, 3 is prime, 5 is prime, and 7 is prime,
	therefore, by induction, all odd numbers are prime.

Physicist: Well, 1 is prime, 3 is prime, 5 is prime, 7 is prime, 9 is
	experimental error, and 11 is prime, therefore, by experimentation,
	all odd numbers are prime.

EE: Well, um ah, I guess 1 is prime, and 3 is prime, and 5 is prime, and
	7 is prime and, uh, 9 is prime, and 11 is prime - hell, all
	odd numbers is prime!

Computer Scientist: Well, 1 is prime, 3 is prime, 5 is prime, 5 is prime,
	5 is prime, 5 is prime, 5 is prime, 5 is prime ......

****

5 is prime,
S. McGeady

leichter (01/19/83)

For mathematicians, it should be "1 is a prime, 3 is a prime, 5 is a prime -
ah, they're all prime."  (One is a special case, two is interesting, three is
the same as "all".)

Also:

Sociology major:  2 is a prime, 4 is a prime, 6 is a prime, ...

(it's been pointed out to me that the only thing wrong with this proof is that
2 is indeed a prime.)

High school math teacher:  "Now, class, watch this proof carefully; it will be
on the exam.  1 is a prime, 3 is a prime, 5 is a prime - no questions 'till the
proof is done - 7 is a prime, 9 is a prime - I said NO QUESTIONS 'TILL THE
PROOF IS DONE - ..."
							-- Jerry
						decvax!yale-comix!leichter