Just need verification of this proof by contradiction:
Let pk be the largest prime number such that pk−2 is not a prime number. Let pl be some prime number such that pl>3pk. We know that pl exists because there are infinitely many prime numbers as proven elsewhere.
pl−2 is a prime number. pl−4 is a prime number as well. By induction, all numbers pk<x<pl|xmod2=1 are prime numbers. But $p_k<3p_k
Also would love to see more concise proofs if at all possible.
Edit:
Great that I got so many people trying to provide their own proof but the question was primarily asked so that I could have my proof verified. Only skyking addressed my question, though I do not yet understand his criticism.
Answer
First of all some criticism, the proof seem to be somewhat overly complicated. But I see no fault in it.
It's not that clear that pl−4 is a prime number, not using the fact that pk being the largest prime such that pk−2 is not a prime at least.
The statement however follows quite easily from two observations:
- There are infinite number of primes
- There are infinite number of odd composite numbers (non-primes)
For each odd composite number k there exists a smallest prime p(k)>k. Now since it's the smallest such prime you have that p(k)−2 is not a prime (p(k)−2≥k, either it's k and composite or between k and p(k) and therefore composite).
The first observation is a direct consequence of that 3(2n+1) is composite. The second is because otherwise (if there were finitely many primes) the product of all primes plus 1 would be another prime.
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