What is the inequality for prime numbers in the Prime Number Theorem proof?

In summary, prime number inequality is a mathematical concept that refers to the unequal distribution of prime numbers within a given range. It is important for understanding the distribution of prime numbers and has practical applications in fields such as cryptography and number theory. It is related to the Riemann Hypothesis, which is an unsolved problem in mathematics. As of now, there is no known proof of prime number inequality, but it has potential applications in improving prime number sieves, encryption algorithms, and gaining a better understanding of number theory.
  • #1
PsychonautQQ
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I believe this is probably a high level undergraduate question, but i could easily be underestimating it and it's actually quite a bit higher than that.

I'm reading the Prime number theorem wikipedia page and I'm in part 4 under Proof sketch where sometime down they give in inequality:

x is a natural number, p is for prime's obviously: ##\sum_{x^{1-\epsilon }\geq p\geq x}^{} \log p \geq \sum_{p\leq x}^{} logx##

Where epsilon is any value greater than O. (O is some special value that they use in computer science a lot apparently, I might need to understand this value better to understand this inequality, I'm not sure.

Can somebody help me understand this inequality? C'mon I know there are some really smart people here!
 
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  • #2
PsychonautQQ said:
O is some special value that they use in computer science a lot apparently
Hi PsychonautQQ:

I am not into number theory, but I am almost certain that the "O" is zero, i.e., "0".

Regards,
Buzz
 
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  • #3
Buzz Bloom said:
Hi PsychonautQQ:

I am not into number theory, but I am almost certain that the "O" is zero, i.e., "0".

Regards,
Buzz
My guess is ##O(something)##, e.g. ##O(1)\, , \,O(\log x) \, , \, O(\log \log x)## or even ##o(1)##. In any case I assume there is more than one typo in it, e.g. the ##\log x## in a summation over ##p## looks suspicious.
 
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  • #4
Here is a link to the article, the inequality discussed is the 6th formula in this section.
"for any ε > 0" is a comparison with the number 0. The big O notation (with the letter O) is mentioned because it is used later in the same line.
 
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  • #5
mfb said:

I found the equation in post #1 in the the linked article, although the post #1 version seems to have omitted a detail. It seems clear that the intent is
ε > zero​
and
O(x1-ε)​
is using the "big O" notation.

Regards,
Buzz
 
Last edited:
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  • #6
I thought it is the 6th formula there, but the right hand side is not identical.
 
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  • #7
Wow, I am so smart for confusing 0 and O haha.

I still don't understand the inequality though, can somebody explain why it makes sense intuitively or link a proof to me?
 
  • #8
With the correct inequality from the Wikipedia article: We know ##x^{1-\epsilon} < p##. Take the logarithm on both sides and you get the inequality used in the article.
 
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  • #9
mfb said:
With the correct inequality from the Wikipedia article: We know ##x^{1-\epsilon} < p##. Take the logarithm on both sides and you get the inequality used in the article.
And we know that x^(1-epsilon) < p because of the domain which is being summed over? p is required to be bigger?
 
  • #10
We know it because the sum only runs over p satisfying this condition, right.
 

Related to What is the inequality for prime numbers in the Prime Number Theorem proof?

What is prime number inequality?

Prime number inequality is a mathematical concept that refers to the unequal distribution of prime numbers within a given range. It means that some numbers have a higher concentration of prime factors than others.

Why is prime number inequality important?

Prime number inequality is important because it can help us understand the distribution of prime numbers, which are the building blocks of all other numbers. It can also have practical applications in fields such as cryptography and number theory.

What is the relationship between prime number inequality and the Riemann Hypothesis?

The Riemann Hypothesis is a famous unsolved problem in mathematics that deals with the distribution of prime numbers. Prime number inequality is related to this hypothesis because it provides a way to measure and analyze the distribution of prime numbers.

Can prime number inequality be proven?

As of now, there is no known proof of prime number inequality. It is still an open problem in mathematics, and many mathematicians are actively working to find a solution.

What are some potential applications of prime number inequality?

Some potential applications of prime number inequality include improving the efficiency of prime number sieves, developing more secure encryption algorithms, and gaining a better understanding of number theory and the distribution of prime numbers.

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