If mathematics can be thought of as the study of patterns and relationships, then it is probably not surprising that prime numbers have been an equal source of fascination and frustration for so many through the ages.
Unlike the majority of well-behaved numbers, primes defy efforts to predict and categorise, and yet are among the most useful, especially in these days of increasingly challenging cyber security. It is their very unpredictability that makes primes a crucial element in the industries reliant upon them to safeguard all manner of information, from national and international right down to individual levels.
Explore these powerful numbers in the GXWeb Prime Playground: