MATHEMATICAL INVESTIGATION

I. NAME OF UNSOLVED PROBLEM

TWIN PRIME CONJECTURE ALSO KNOWN AS POLIGNAC’S CONJECTURE

II. THEORY/ PROBLEM

Are there infinite twin prime number? Thus, twin prime numbers are two prime numbers which have the
difference of 2 exactly.

III. PROOF/ EVIDENCES

FIRST EVIDENCE:

Brun's Theorem is a result in number theory that provides an upper bound on the sum of the reciprocals
of twin primes, which are pairs of prime numbers that differ by 2 (e.g., 3 and 5, 11 and 13, 17 and 19, etc.).
In simpler words, Brun's Theorem tells us that the sum of the reciprocals of twin primes is a finite value,
meaning that there are only finitely many twin primes.

Here's a simplified explanation of Brun's Theorem:

• Twin primes are finite: The theorem shows that there are only finitely many twin primes. In other
words, the list of twin primes does not go on forever, but rather has an upper limit.
• Sum of reciprocals converges: The theorem states that if we take the reciprocals of each twin
prime (e.g., 1/3, 1/5, 1/11, 1/13, 1/17, 1/19, etc.) and add them up, the sum will converge to a
finite value.
• Brun's constant: The finite value to which the sum of the reciprocals of twin primes converges is
known as Brun's constant. It is denoted by the symbol "B" and has an approximate value of
1.902160... (the exact value is not known).
• No exact count of twin primes: While Brun's Theorem shows that there are only finitely many twin
primes, it does not provide an exact count or explicitly specify which twin primes are the last ones.
It simply implies that the sum of their reciprocals converges to a finite value.

SECOND EVIDENCE:

"Yitang Zhang's Breakthrough" refers to a significant advancement in the study of prime numbers,
specifically the Twin Prime Conjecture, made by mathematician Yitang Zhang in 2013. Zhang's
breakthrough showed that there exists an infinitely long sequence of prime numbers that are separated
by a bounded gap, which includes twin primes.
Here's a simplified explanation of Zhang's breakthrough:

• Bounded gaps between primes: Zhang's breakthrough showed that there exists a finite number
(denoted by "H") such that there are infinitely many pairs of prime numbers that differ by at most
"H". In other words, the gaps between consecutive primes are bounded, and there are infinitely
many such pairs of primes.
• Twin primes included: Zhang's result implies that there are infinitely many twin primes, which are
pairs of prime numbers that differ by 2. This settles the long-standing Twin Prime Conjecture for a
bounded gap of "H", showing that twin primes occur infinitely often.
• Initial bound was large: Zhang's original proof provided an upper bound of "H" that was extremely
large, estimated to be around 70 million. While this was a groundbreaking result, the large value
of "H" made it impractical to identify specific twin primes using Zhang's work.
• Subsequent refinements: After Zhang's breakthrough, other mathematicians built upon his work
and made further refinements to reduce the value of "H". As a result, the search for twin primes
within the bounded gap "H" became more feasible, and many previously unknown twin primes
were discovered using Zhang's ideas.
• Significance of Zhang's work: Zhang's breakthrough was a major advancement in our
understanding of the distribution of prime numbers, as it provided a finite bound on the gaps
between consecutive primes, including twin primes. This result has inspired further research and
progress in the study of prime numbers and has brought us closer to resolving the Twin Prime
Conjecture.

THIRD EVIDENCE:

Subsequent refinements (2014 onwards): After the Polymath8 project, several mathematicians have
made further refinements and improvements on Zhang's result, reducing the bound on the gap between
twin primes even further. For example, James Maynard showed in 2014 that there are infinitely many
prime pairs with a gap of at most 600, and subsequently, other mathematicians have achieved even
smaller bounds, such as 246 (Zhang's result), 12, 6, and even 2. These results provide further evidence for
the Twin Prime Conjecture, suggesting that twin primes occur infinitely often.

Starting in 2014, there have been subsequent refinements to Zhang's initial proof of the bounded gaps
between prime numbers. These refinements aimed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the
original method used by Zhang, known as the "linear sieve," and to address some of the limitations and
challenges of the initial proof.

One major refinement came from mathematicians James Maynard and Terence Tao, who independently
developed a new method for finding bounded gaps between primes using a more efficient and streamlined
approach than the linear sieve. Maynard's method involves a combinatorial approach that reduces the
number of variables needed to solve the problem, while Tao's method uses a more algebraic approach
that leverages advanced mathematical tools and techniques.

Another refinement came from mathematicians Kevin Ford, Ben Green, Sergei Konyagin, and James
Maynard, who developed a new method for estimating the distribution of primes and gaps between
primes in a more precise and accurate way. Their method, known as the "GPY sieve," builds on the linear
sieve method used by Zhang but incorporates additional refinements and improvements to achieve better
accuracy and efficiency.

These subsequent refinements to Zhang's initial proof of bounded gaps between prime numbers have
contributed to the ongoing research and investigation of prime numbers and related problems in number
theory. They have also demonstrated the ingenuity and creativity of mathematicians in developing new
methods and techniques for tackling complex mathematical problems, and they continue to inspire further
research and exploration in this fascinating field.

FOURTH EVIDENCE:

Polymath8 project (2013)

Following Zhang's breakthrough, a collaborative online project called Polymath8 was initiated by
mathematician Terence Tao, where mathematicians from around the world collectively contributed to
further research on the Twin Prime Conjecture. The project aimed to improve Zhang's result and reduce
the bound on the gap between twin primes. As a result, the Polymath8 project was successful in reducing
the bound from 70 million to 246, effectively showing that there are infinitely many pairs of primes that
differ by at most 246. The idea behind the project was to use a combination of probabilistic and
combinatorial methods to create sets of integers that have a high density of primes and prime pairs. By
analyzing the distribution of primes and gaps between primes in these sets, the researchers hoped to gain
insights into the properties and behavior of twin primes.

Although the project did not succeed in proving the Twin Prime Conjecture, it made significant progress
towards understanding the problem and developing new methods for investigating prime numbers. The
techniques developed in the project have the potential to be applied to other related problems in number
theory and could lead to new breakthroughs in the future.

FIFTH EVIDENCE:

"Computational testing" in the context of the Twin Prime Conjecture refers to using computers to explore
and analyze prime numbers to investigate whether twin primes occur infinitely often.

Here's a simplified explanation of how computational testing can be applied to the Twin Prime Conjecture:

• Generating prime numbers: Computational testing involves using algorithms and methods to
generate prime numbers. This can be done by utilizing algorithms that identify prime numbers
based on their mathematical properties, such as the Sieve of Eratosthenes or the Miller-Rabin
primality test.
• Searching for twin primes: Once a list of prime numbers is generated, computational testing can
be used to search for twin primes. Twin primes are pairs of prime numbers that differ by 2, such
as (3, 5), (11, 13), or (17, 19). Algorithms can be developed or adapted to search for such pairs
within the list of generated prime numbers.
 • Analyzing results: Computational testing generates results in the form of data, such as the number
and distribution of twin primes found within a given range. These results can be analyzed and
interpreted to draw conclusions or make predictions about the occurrence of twin primes.
• Statistical analysis: Computational testing can also involve statistical analysis to assess the
likelihood of twin primes occurring in a given range of numbers. This can involve calculating
probabilities, distributions, or other statistical measures to evaluate the occurrence of twin
primes.
• Limitations: It's important to note that computational testing has limitations. While it can provide
valuable insights and generate data, it does not prove or disprove mathematical conjectures like
the Twin Prime Conjecture. The conjecture remains unproven, and computational testing can only
provide evidence and support for its validity based on the data generated.
• Complementary to other approaches: Computational testing can complement other approaches,
such as theoretical or experimental methods, to provide a more comprehensive understanding of
the Twin Prime Conjecture. It can help researchers explore large sets of data and search for
patterns or trends that may shed light on the conjecture's validity.

In summary, computational testing in the context of the Twin Prime Conjecture involves using
computers to generate prime numbers, search for twin primes, analyze results statistically, and provide
evidence and support for the conjecture's validity. However, it's important to note that computational
testing does not prove or disprove mathematical conjectures, and it should be used in conjunction
with other approaches for a more comprehensive understanding.

IV. CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the Twin Prime Conjecture is an unsolved problem in number theory that states that there
are infinitely many twin primes, which are pairs of prime numbers that differ by 2. While extensive
research has been conducted on the conjecture, including significant breakthroughs such as Yitang Zhang's
result that there are infinitely many prime pairs with a bounded gap, the conjecture remains unproven.

Current research findings, including Zhang's result and subsequent refinements by other mathematicians,
along with computational testing and analysis of large datasets of prime numbers, provide strong evidence
supporting the conjecture's validity. However, a rigorous mathematical proof is still lacking, and the
conjecture remains an open question in mathematics.

Further research, advancements in mathematical techniques, and computational methods are ongoing to
better understand the occurrence and properties of twin primes, and to potentially prove or disprove the
conjecture. The Twin Prime Conjecture continues to be an active area of research, and mathematicians
are working towards uncovering the mysteries of twin primes and resolving this long-standing conjecture.