Math Is Fun Forum

MathsIsFun

Administrator

Registered: 2005-01-21

Posts: 7,713

Prime Factorization Tool

I have a Flash version of the Prime Factorization Tool ... test it out, see if it breaks!

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"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

JaneFairfax

Member

Registered: 2007-02-23

Posts: 6,868

Re: Prime Factorization Tool

It’s slightly faster than the old one.

Devantè

Real Member

Registered: 2006-07-14

Posts: 6,400

Re: Prime Factorization Tool

It only works for numbers up to around 2,200,000,000 ... but it is still a nice tool, in comparison to the old one. I'll see if I can break it.

MathsIsFun

Administrator

Registered: 2005-01-21

Posts: 7,713

Re: Prime Factorization Tool

It should work up to 4,294,967,296 ... let me know if it doesn't.

Please verify that it gets it right (are all factors prime and do they multiply correctly)

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"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

mathsyperson

Moderator

Registered: 2005-06-22

Posts: 4,900

Re: Prime Factorization Tool

Looking good! Here's what I've found so far:
- When you put in decimal numbers, it currently just ignores everything after the point and factors the integer part. I'm not sure whether it should moan at you instead. Doesn't really matter either way though.

- It doesn't do anything when you give it 0 or 1.

- It gets confused when you press enter. Reversible by pressing backspace a lot, but until you do that it won't recognise any numbers you put in.

- 2937817 is a prime number.

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Why did the vector cross the road?
It wanted to be normal.

MathsIsFun

Administrator

Registered: 2005-01-21

Posts: 7,713

Re: Prime Factorization Tool

I will look at the decimal and enter bugs, thanks.

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"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman

Ricky

Moderator

Registered: 2005-12-04

Posts: 3,791

Re: Prime Factorization Tool

When I enter 9082681441, I get: 7 × 3917 × 17971 which is wrong.

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"In the real world, this would be a problem.  But in mathematics, we can just define a place where this problem doesn't exist.  So we'll go ahead and do that now..."

MathsIsFun

Administrator

Registered: 2005-01-21

Posts: 7,713

Re: Prime Factorization Tool

Really! I get "Sorry, only numbers up to 4294967296". What to do?

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"The physicists defer only to mathematicians, and the mathematicians defer only to God ..."  - Leon M. Lederman