In the first of his series on the seven Millennium Prize Problems – the most intractable problems in mathematics – Matt Parker introduces the Riemann HypothesisThe first million-dollar maths puzzle is called the Riemann speculation. First proposed by Bernhard Riemann in 1859 it offers valuable insights into prime numbers but it is based on an unexplored mathematical landscape. whether you can show that its mathematical path will always lie dependable,$1m (£600000) is all yours.
Mathematicians are obsessed with primes because they are the foundation of all other numbers. Prime numbers in mathematics are like atoms in chemistry, bricks in the construction industry and ludicrous pay cheques in professional football. Everything is built up from these fundamental units and you can investigate the integrity of something by taking a close look at the units from which it is made. To investigate how a number behaves you look at its prime factors, and for example 63 is 3 x 3 x 7. Primes do not occupy factors: they are as simple as numbers get.
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Source: theguardian.com