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I heard this question a few days ago, so reciting from memory:

If I were to randomly choose an arbitrarily large positive integer $n$, could I write a function that determines the likelihood of it being prime?

Intuitively, what would it mean to assign a probability to an integer of being prime?

Edit 1

I'm not sure how to incorporate the prime-counting function into this.

Edit 2

Alright, so the page on the prime number theorem says that:

Informally speaking, the prime number theorem states that if a random integer is selected in the range of zero to some large integer N, the probability that the selected integer is prime is about 1 / ln(N), where ln(N) is the natural logarithm of N.

Looking through the references, though, I can't find a more formal proof. So I will revise my question.

For a random integer selected in the range of $0$ to some large integer $N$, prove that the probability the selected integer is prime is $\frac{1}{\ln{N}}$.

Edit 3

If the selected integer $n$ was prime, it's necessary that it has no prime factors $p\leq\sqrt{n}$. If we could find the probability that $n$ is divisible by $p$ as some function of $p$, then could we write$\prod_{p=2}^{\sqrt{n}}\left(1-f(p)\right)$where $f(p)$ is the probability that $n$ is divisible by $p$?

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    I think [this proof](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proof_of_Bertrand's_postulate) is a rewarding one to study.2012-11-10

3 Answers 3

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Care should be taken in the sense we take the "density" of primes.

The prime number theorem states that $ \pi(n)=\frac{n}{\log(n)}+O\left(\frac{n}{\log(n)^2}\right)\tag{1} $ Thus, $ \begin{align} \pi(n(1+\alpha))-\pi(n) &=\frac{n(1+\alpha)}{\log(n)+\log(1+\alpha)}-\frac{n}{\log(n)}+O\left(\frac{n}{\log(n)^2}\right)\\ &=\frac{n(1+\alpha)}{\log(n)}-\frac{n}{\log(n)}+O\left(\frac{n}{\log(n)^2}\right)\\ &=\frac{\alpha n}{\log(n)}+O\left(\frac{n}{\log(n)^2}\right)\tag{2} \end{align} $ Therefore, $ \frac{\pi(n(1+\alpha))-\pi(n)}{\alpha n} =\frac1{\log(n)}+O\left(\frac1{\alpha\log(n)^2}\right)\tag{3} $ In the sense of $(3)$, the density of primes is $\dfrac1{\log(n)}$.

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    A very cool solution. Thanks!2012-11-10
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On your second question, what it might mean to assign a probability to the likelihood of a number being prime, you might want to take a look at this answer, the discussion in the comments under it, and in particular the book that I refer to there, Towards a Philosophy of Real Mathematics by David Corfield.

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    Thanks for the link, I'll take a day to read and understand what's going on before returning to this question.2012-11-10
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By the prime number theorem it is usually accurate to assume as a heuristic that the probability that $n$ is prime is about $\frac{1}{\log{n}}$.

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    There is no easy way to narrow it down. I think vaguer is better.2012-11-10