What is the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search?

You could discover one of the most coveted finds in all of Mathematics - a new Mersenne prime number. Join in on this fun, yet serious research project. All you need is a personal computer and a lot of luck.

The Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search (GIMPS) harnesses the power of thousands of small computers like yours to solve the seemingly intractable problem of finding HUGE prime numbers. Specifically, GIMPS looks for Mersenne Primes, expressed by the formula 2P-1. Over 8,000 people have contributed computer time to help discover world-record Mersenne primes. Thoughout history, the largest known prime number has usually been a Mersenne prime.

Instructions:

Step One:

• Download the free software
  
  
• You can join this search by downloading the free software provided. The search is coordinated by a central server, called Primenet. If you are worried about how this software might affect your computer, the University of Albany has written an excellent case study as has Temple University. Also, the Primenet server FAQ and GIMPS FAQ may answer any questions you may have.

  The Primenet server maintains statistics since it became operational in 1998 and I maintain separate statistics including results from users not using Primenet and those submitted prior to Primenet. You can monitor the progress of the search hourly at the Primenet server's stats page or weekly at the GIMPS status page. You can also monitor your individual contribution at the Primenet server's Top Producers page or the GIMPS Top Producers page.

  GIMPS is also helping mathematicians fill in the Cunningham tables. This involves factoring 2^N-1 and 2^N+1 for all N below 1200. You stand a better chance of finding a new Cunningham factor than a new Mersenne prime. However, there is no prize money.

  For those of you that do not use PCs, C source code is available for you to run Lucas-Lehmer primality tests on your hardware.

  For more information go to www.mersenne.org/prime.htm . 

Step Two:

• Read the documentation to start!
  Mac users check out the graphic interface Mersennator. Windows users using Prime95.zip it will auto install and config.
  

Good luck!

For more information see:
The Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search

(NOTE: Unlike SETI@home and Distributed.Net, the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search is not a group project but done as an individual user.)