This is a survey article on prime number races. Chebyshev noticed in the first half of the nineteenth century that for any given value of x, there always seem to be more primes of the form 4n+3 less than x then there are of the form 4n+1. Similar observations have been made with primes of the form 3n+2 and 3n+1, with primes of the form 10n+3/10n+7 and 10n+1/10n+9, and many others besides. More generally, one can consider primes of the form qn+a, qn+b, qn+c, >... for our favorite constants q, a, b, c, ... and try to figure out which forms are "preferred" over the others. In this paper, we describe these phenomena in greater detail and explain the efforts that have been made at understanding them.
We investigate the distribution of the function $ω(n)$, the number of distinct prime divisors of $n$, in residue classes modulo $q$ for natural numbers $q$ greater than 2. In particular we ask `prime number races' style questions, as suggested by Coons and Dahmen in their paper `On the residue class distribution of the number of prime divisors of an integer'.
We survey results about prime number races, that is, results about the relative sizes of prime counting functions $π_{q,a}(x)$, with $q$ fixed and $a$ varying. In particular, we describe recent work by the authors on these problems.
Rubinstein and Sarnak have shown, conditional on the Riemann hypothesis (RH) and the linear independence hypothesis (LI) on the non-real zeros of $ζ(s)$, that the set of real numbers $x\ge2$ for which $π(x)>$ li$(x)$ has a logarithmic density, which they computed to be about $2.6\times10^{-7}$. A natural problem is to examine the actual primes in this race. We prove, assuming RH and LI, that the logarithmic density of the set of primes $p$ for which $π(p)>$ li$(p)$ relative to the prime numbers exists and is the same as the Rubinstein-Sarnak density. We also extend such results to a broad clas…
We prove explicit versions of the Kronecker-Weyl theorems, both in a discrete and a continuous settings, without any linear independence hypothesis. As an application, we propose an alternative approach to problems concerning asymptotic densities in prime number races, over number fields and over function fields in one variable over finite fields, in the language of random variables. Our approach allows us to prove new results on the existence and positivity of some of those densities, which, in the case of races over function fields, do not require any linear independence hypothesis.
Chebyshev observed in a letter to Fuss that there tends to be more primes of the form $4n+3$ than of the form $4n+1$. The general phenomenon, which is referred to as Chebyshev's bias, is that primes tend to be biased in their distribution among the different residue classes $\bmod q$. It is known that this phenomenon has a strong relation with the low-lying zeros of the associated $L$-functions, that is if these $L$-functions have zeros close to the real line, then it will result in a lower bias. According to this principle one might believe that the most biased prime number race we will ever …
We show, for any $q\ge 3$ and distinct reduced residues $a,b \pmod q$, the existence of certain hypothetical sets of zeros of Dirichlet $L$-functions lying off the critical line implies that $π(x;q,a)<π(x;q,b)$ for a set of real $x$ of asymptotic density 1.
Let $χ$ be a real and non-principal Dirichlet character, $L(s,χ)$ its Dirichlet $L$-function and let $p$ be a generic prime number. We prove the following result: If for some $0\leq σ<1$ the partial sums $\sum_{p\leq x}χ(p)p^{-σ}$ change sign only for a finite number of $x$, then there exists $ε>0$ such that $L(s,χ)$ has no zeros in the half plane $Re(s)>1-ε$.
Fix an integer $r\geq 3$. Let $q$ be a large positive integer and $a_1,...,a_r$ be distinct residue classes modulo $q$ that are relatively prime to $q$. In this paper, we establish an asymptotic formula for the logarithmic density $δ_{q;a_1,...,a_r}$ of the set of real numbers $x$ such that $π(x;q,a_1)>π(x;q,a_2)>...>π(x;q,a_r),$ as $q\to\infty$; conditionally on the assumption of the Generalized Riemann Hypothesis GRH and the Grand Simplicity Hypothesis GSH. Several applications concerning these prime number races are then deduced. Indeed, comparing with a recent work of D. Fiorilli and G. Ma…
Let $π_{q,a}(x)$ denote the number of primes $\le x$ in the progression $a$ modulo $q$. We study subtle inequities in these functions, with $q$ fixed and variable $a$ (sometimes called 'prime race problems'). It is known unconditionally for many triples $(q,a,b)$ that the difference $π_{q,a}(x) - π_{q,b}(x)$ changes sign infinitely often, although there may be a pronounced bias toward one sign (first observed by Chebyshev in 1853). Similar results for the comparison of three or more prime counting functions all require the assumption of ERH (extended Riemann Hypothesis for the Dirichlet L-func…
We continue to investigate the race between prime numbers in many residue classes modulo $q$, assuming the standard conjectures GRH and LI. We show that provided $n/\log q \rightarrow \infty$ as $q \rightarrow \infty$, we can find $n$ competitor classes modulo $q$ so that the corresponding $n$-way prime number race is extremely biased. This improves on the previous range $n \geq φ(q)^ε$, and (together with an existing result of Harper and Lamzouri) establishes that the transition from all $n$-way races being asymptotically unbiased, to biased races existing, occurs when $n = \log^{1+o(1)}q$. T…
We investigate the race between prime numbers in many residue classes modulo $q$, assuming the standard conjectures GRH and LI. Among our results we exhibit, for the first time, prime races modulo $q$ with $n$ competitor classes where the biases do not dissolve when $n, q\to \infty$. We also study the leaders in the prime number race, obtaining asymptotic formulae for logarithmic densities when the number of competitors can be as large as a power of $q$, whereas previous methods could only allow a power of $\log q$. The proofs use harmonic analysis related to the Hardy--Littlewood circle metho…
We study the prime number race for elliptic curves over the function field of a proper, smooth and geometrically connected curve over a finite field. This constitutes a function field analogue of prior work by Mazur, Sarnak and the second author. In this geometric setting we can prove unconditional results whose counterparts in the number field case are conditional on a Riemann Hypothesis and a linear independence hypothesis on the zeros of the implied L-functions. Notably we show that in certain natural families of elliptic curves, the bias generically dissipates as the conductor grows. This …
Fix a prime $p >2$ and a finite field $\mathbb{F}_{q}$ with $q$ elements, where $q$ is a power of $p$. Let $m$ be a monic polynomial in the polynomial ring $\mathbb{F}_{q}[T]$ such that $deg(m)$ is large. Fix an integer $r\geq 2$, and let $a_1,\dots,a_r$ be distinct residue classes modulo $m$ that are relatively prime to $m$. In this paper, we derive an asymptotic formula for the natural density $δ_{m;a_1,\dots,a_r}$ of the set of all positive integers $X$ such that $\sum\limits_{N=1}^{X} π_{q}(a_1,m,N) > \sum\limits_{N=1}^{X} π_{q}(a_2,m,N) > \dots > \sum\limits_{N=1}^{X} π_{q}(a_r,m,N)$, whe…
We continue our examination the effects of certain hypothetical configurations of zeros of Dirichlet $L$-functions lying off the critical line ("barriers") on the relative magnitude of the functions $π_{q,a}(x)$. Here $π_{q,a}(x)$ is the number of primes $\le x$ in the progression $a \mod q$. In particular, we construct barriers so that $π_{q,1}(x)$ is simultaneously greater than, or simultaneously less than, each of $k$ functions $π_{q,a_i}(x)$ ($1\le i\le k$). We also construct barriers so that only a small number of the $r!$ possible orderings of functions $π_{q,a_i}(x)$ ($1\le i\le r$) occ…
Under certain plausible assumptions, M. Rubinstein and P. Sarnak solved the Shanks--Rényi race problem, by showing that the set of real numbers $x\geq 2$ such that $π(x;q,a_1)>π(x;q,a_2)>...>π(x;q,a_r)$ has a positive logarithmic density $δ_{q;a_1,...,a_r}$. Furthermore, they established that if $r$ is fixed, $δ_{q;a_1,...,a_r}\to 1/r!$ as $q\to \infty$. In this paper, we investigate the size of these densities when the number of contestants $r$ tends to infinity with $q$. In particular, we deduce a strong form of a recent conjecture of A. Feuerverger and G. Martin which states that $δ_{q;a_1,…
Let $π(x;q,a)$ denote the number of primes up to $x$ that are congruent to $a$ modulo $q$. A prime number race, for fixed modulus $q$ and residue classes $a_1, \ldots, a_r$, investigates the system of inequalities $π(x;q,a_1) > π(x;q,a_2) > \cdots > π(x;q,a_r)$. The study of prime number races was initiated by Chebyshev and further studied by many others, including Littlewood, Shanks-Rényi, Knapowski-Turan, and Kaczorowski. We expect that this system of inequalities should have arbitrarily large solutions $x$, and moreover we expect the same to be true no matter how we permute the residue clas…
It has been well-observed that an inequality of the type $π(x;q,a) > π(x;q,b)$ is more likely to hold if $a$ is a non-square modulo $q$ and $b$ is a square modulo $q$ (the so-called ``Chebyshev Bias''). For instance, each of $π(x;8,3)$, $π(x;8,5)$, and $π(x;8,7)$ tends to be somewhat larger than $π(x;8,1)$. However, it has come to light that the tendencies of these three $π(x;8,a)$ to dominate $π(x;8,1)$ have different strengths. A related phenomenon is that the six possible inequalities of the form $π(x;8,a_1) > π(x;8,a_2) > π(x;8,a_3)$ with $\{a_1,a_2,a_3\}=\{3,5,7\}$ are not all equally lik…
Let $q\geq 3$, $2\leq r\leq ϕ(q)$ and $a_1,...,a_r$ be distinct residue classes modulo $q$ that are relatively prime to $q$. Assuming the Generalized Riemann Hypothesis and the Grand Simplicity Hypothesis, M. Rubinstein and P. Sarnak showed that the vector-valued function $E_{q;a_1,...,a_r}(x)=(E(x;q,a_1),..., E(x;q,a_r)),$ where $E(x;q,a)= \frac{\log x}{\sqrt{x}}(ϕ(q)π(x;q,a)-π(x))$, has a limiting distribution $μ_{q;a_1,...,a_r}$ which is absolutely continuous on $\mathbb{R}^r$. Under the same assumptions, we determine the asymptotic behavior of the large deviations $μ_{q;a_1,...,a_r}(||\vx|…
We establish a conjectured result of Dummit, Granville and Kisilevsky for the maximum bias in P2 races, which compare the number of P2's $\leq x$ whose prime factors, evaluated at a given quadratic character, take specifc values.
Rubinstein and Sarnak investigated systems of inequalities of the form pi(x;q,a_1) > ... > pi(x;q,a_r), where pi(x;q,a) denotes the number of primes up to x that are congruent to a mod q. They showed, under standard hypotheses on the zeros of Dirichlet L-functions mod q, that the set of positive real numbers x for which these inequalities hold has positive (logarithmic) density delta_{q;a_1,dots,a_r} > 0. They also discovered the surprising fact that a certain distribution associated with these densities is not symmetric under permutations of the residue classes a_j in general, even if the a_j…
Chebyshev was the first to observe a bias in the distribution of primes in residue classes. The general phenomenon is that if $a$ is a nonsquare\mod q and $b$ is a square\mod q, then there tend to be more primes congruent to $a\mod q$ than $b\mod q$ in initial intervals of the positive integers; more succinctly, there is a tendency for $π(x;q,a)$ to exceed $π(x;q,b)$. Rubinstein and Sarnak defined $δ(q;a,b)$ to be the logarithmic density of the set of positive real numbers $x$ for which this inequality holds; intuitively, $δ(q;a,b)$ is the "probability" that $π(x;q,a) > π(x;q,b)$ when $x$ is "…
A subset of the integers larger than 1 is $primitive$ if no member divides another. Erdos proved in 1935 that the sum of $1/(a\log a)$ for $a$ running over a primitive set $A$ is universally bounded over all choices for $A$. In 1988 he asked if this universal bound is attained for the set of prime numbers. In this paper we make some progress on several fronts, and show a connection to certain prime number "races" such as the race between $π(x)$ and li$(x)$.
We generalize current known distribution results on Shanks--Rényi prime number races to the case where arbitrarily many residue classes are involved. Our method handles both the classical case that goes back to Chebyshev and function field analogues developed in the recent years. More precisely, let $π(x;q,a)$ be the number of primes up to $x$ that are congruent to $a$ modulo $q$. For a fixed integer $q$ and distinct invertible congruence classes $a_0,a_1,\ldots,a_D$, assuming the generalized Riemann Hypothesis and a weak version of the linear independence hypothesis, we show that the set of $…
We prove a modification as well as an improvement of a result of K. Ford, D. R. Heath-Brown and S. Konyagin concerning prime avoidance of square-free numbers and perfect powers of prime numbers.
We prove an isomorphism between the finite domain from 1 up to the product of the first n primes and the new defined set of prime modular numbers. This definition provides some insights about relative prime numbers. We provide an inverse function from the prime modular numbers into this finite domain. With this function we can calculate all numbers from 1 up to the product of the first n primes that are not divisible by the first n primes. This function provides a non sequential way for the calculation of prime numbers.
A classification of twin primes implies special twin primes. When applied to triplets, it yields exceptional prime number triplets. These generalize yielding exceptional prime number multiplets.
Prime number multiplet classifications and patterns are extended to negative integers. The extension from prime numbers to single prime powers is also studied. Prime number septets at equal distance are given. It is also shown that each class of generalized twin primes of the classification contains a positive fraction of all prime pairs.
The paper solves the problems of determining the asymptotics of the number of primes and the sums of functions of primes in a subset of the natural series that satisfies the conditions that the asymptotic density of the number of primes in this subset is constant and not equal to zero.
We will revisit a 1987 question of Rabbi Ehrenpreis. Among many things, we will provide an elementary injective proof that P_1(L,y,n)>=P_2(L,y,n) for any L,n>0 and any odd y>1 . Here, P_1(L,y,n) denotes the number of partitions of n into parts congruent to 1, y+2, or 2y mod 2(y+1) with the largest part not exceeding 2(y+1)L-2 and P_2(L,y,n) denotes the number of partitions of n into parts congruent to 2, y, or 2y+1 mod 2(y+1) with the largest part not exceeding 2(y+1)L-1.
From varying Egyptian fraction equations we obtain generalizations of primary pseudoperfect numbers and Giuga numbers which we call prime power psuedoperfect numbers and prime power Giuga numbers respectively. We show that a sequence of Amarnath Murthy in the OEIS is a subsequence of the sequence of prime power psuedoperfect numbers. Prime factorization conditions sufficient to imply a number is a prime power pseudoperfect number or a prime power Giuga number are given. The conditions on prime factorizations naturally give rise to a generalization of Fermat primes which we call extended Fermat…
Let $k\geq 2$ be a fixed natural number. We establish the existence of infinitely many pairs of consecutive primes $p_n$, $p_{n+1}$ satisfying $$ p_{n+1}-p_n\geq c\:\frac{\log p_n\: \log_2 p_n\: \log_4 p_n}{\log_3 p_n}\:,$$ with $c$ being a fixed positive constant, for which the interval $(p_n, p_{n+1})$ contains the $k$-th power of a prime number.
New exceptional (i.e. non-repeating) prime number multiplets are given and formulated in terms of arithmetic progressions, along with laws governing them. Accompanying repeating prime number multiplets are pointed out. Prime number multiplets with less regular distances are studied.
We give two improved explicit versions of the prime number theorem for primes in arithmetic progression: the first isolating the contribution of the Siegel zero and the second completely explicit, where the improvement is for medium-sized values. This will give an improved explicit Bombieri-Vinogradov like result for non-exceptional moduli.
Using as the working hypothesis of an evaluation of the difference between primes $p_{n+1} - p_n = O(\sqrt{p_n})$ we represent in detail the proofs of Legendre's and Oppermann's conjectures.
Using evaluations of the difference between consecutive primes we develop another way of estimating of the number of primes in the interval $(n, 2n)$. We also discuss the ultra Cramer conjecture, $p_{n+1} - p_n = O(log^{1+ε}p_n)$ where $ε> 0$, in the context of the results we have obtained in our paper.
We show by an inclusion-exclusion argument that the prime $k$-tuple conjecture of Hardy and Littlewood provides an asymptotic formula for the number of consecutive prime numbers which are a specified distance apart. This refines one aspect of a theorem of Gallagher that the prime $k$-tuple conjecture implies that the prime numbers are distributed in a Poisson distribution around their average spacing.
This paper discusses prime numbers that are (resp. are not) congruent numbers. Particularly the only case not fully covered by earlier results, namely primes of the form $p=8k+1$, receives attention.
We prove some new lower bounds for the counting function $\mathcal N_{\mathcal C}(x)$ of the set of Novák-Carmichael numbers. Our estimates depend on the bounds for the number of shifted primes without large prime factors. In particular, we prove that $\mathcal N_{\mathcal C}(x) \gg x^{0.7039-o(1)}$ unconditionally and that $\mathcal N_{\mathcal C}(x) \gg xe^{-(7+o(1))(\log x)\frac{\log\log\log x}{\log\log x}}$, under some reasonable hypothesis.
We show that for each prime p > 7, every residue mod p can be represented by a squarefree number with largest prime factor at most p. We give two applications to recursive prime generators akin to the one Euclid used to prove the infinitude of primes.
We will derive a function that eliminates any sequence of equidistant numbers from the integer numbers, then we will derive its inverse. Then we will use the Sequence elimination function to eliminate the multiples of the prime numbers from the integer numbers to produce formulas that generate all prime numbers in some interval.
In this paper, a new formula for π^(2)(N) is formulated, it is a function that counts the number of semi-primes not exceeding a given number N. A semi-prime is a natural number that is the product of precisely two prime numbers, the two primes in the product may equal each other. Semi-prime numbers are also a case of almost primes. Since a formula for this is already known, a new identity that uses the prime counting function is created by equating the two functions.
We present lower bounds on the sum and product of the distinct prime factors of an odd perfect number, which provide a lower bound on the size of the odd perfect number as a function of the number of its distinct prime factors.
We find asymptotics for $S_{K,c}(x)$, the number of positive integers below $x$ whose number of prime factors is $c \; \mathrm{mod}\; K$. We study this question in the context of Beurling integers.
Is it true that for all $n\geq k\geq 2$ there exists a prime number between $kn$ and $(k+1)n$? In this paper we show that there is always a prime number between $4n$ and $5n$ for all $n>2$. We also show there are at least seven prime numbers between $n$ and $5n$ for all $n>5$.
We introduce the notion of saturated sets of primes of an algebraic number field and prove an analogue of Riemann's existence theorem for the decomposition groups of infinite stably saturated sets of primes.
