The Longest Known Prime Number

Mr. Pace discovered the new number as part of the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search (GIMPS), a project started in 1996 to hunt for these massive numbers. This number is now discovered by performing a collaborative computational effort.

At over 23 million digits long, the new number has been given the name M77232917 for short. The search for large prime numbers is very enthusiastic. This search requires complicated computer networks.

It is nearly one million digits longer than the previous record holder, which was identified as part of the same project at the beginning of 2016.This new prime number is verified on four different computers and by using four different computer programmes.

The person who discovers a 100 million digit prime number will be awarded $150,000 by the Electronic Frontier Foundation for their efforts.