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Euclid's Elements

In Our Time: Science

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Euclid's Proof on Prime Numbers

Euclid built on the fact that every number is either prime or divisible by primes, who can pull it apart. He says, OK, suppose you think there are finitely many of these indivisible prime numbers. And now here's Euclid's act of genius. He adds one to that number and then because he says, look at this new number, which primes divide this new number? Marcus: A finite mind can conceive of the infinite. That's a beautiful thing.

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