Puzzling Asked on April 8, 2021
So you are interested in Prime Numbers and puzzles thereof. You saw the following on PSE and gave it a try and got it long after the correct answer was posted by @hexomino.
But then you think that you could design another puzzle.
So you start with 2 prime numbers say A and B with B > A
Then you put another Prime C (C>B) in there.
Turns out B is the average of the three numbers! That is nice.
Then you put another Prime D (D>C) with them. You guessed it.
Now C is the average of A,B,C and D!
Then you put another Prime number E (E>D) with them.
Sure enough now D is the average of A,B,C,D and E!
Now you are excited. You think you have discovered something great. Shake up the Math world??
So you continue with another prime F>E. And yes same thing! E is the average of A to F.
You continue these steps until your bubble bursts when you get the number 5917. Oh no. It is not a Prime.
So you wonder. Is this the longest sequence you can do or is there a sequence longer than one you have discovered? How do you explain this anyway? Is there a math equation for this?
So how many total numbers were in this sequence?
The sequence you tried is
So how many total numbers were in this sequence?
is there a sequence longer than one you have discovered?
Is there a math equation for this?
Correct answer by arbitrahj on April 8, 2021
Partial answer, heuristic argument that it is plausible to get reasonably long sequences like this 10-prime example:
Answered by Paul Panzer on April 8, 2021
arbitrahj and Paul Panzer have already provided great analysis of this problem.
I would like to demonstrate that
Lemma
Theorem
Putting these together
Answered by hexomino on April 8, 2021
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