LemmaProblems › Prove that if 2^n - 1 is prime, then n is prime.
Classic olympiad problem · Number Theory

Prove that if 2^n - 1 is prime, then n is prime.

Prove that if 2n12^n - 1 is prime, then nn is prime.
Topic: Number Theory Difficulty: 4/6 Expected time: ~35 min Progressive hints on Lemma: 3

This is a proof problem — the answer is an argument, not a number. The solution is deliberately not posted here: reading a solution you didn't fight for teaches almost nothing. On Lemma you attempt it cold, take one of the 3 progressive hints only when genuinely stuck, then compare your proof against a full walkthrough and mark yourself with the same rubric a competition coordinator would use.

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