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    Prime-generating Polynomial

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    Definition

    Legendre showed that there is no rational algebraic function which always gives primes. In 1752, Goldbach showed that no polynomial with integer coefficients can give a prime for all integer values. However, there exists a polynomial in 10 variables with integer coefficients such that the set of primes equals the set of positive values of this polynomial obtained as the variables run through all nonnegative integers, although it is really a set of Diophantine equations in disguise. Jones, Sato, Wada, and Wiens have also found a polynomial of degree 25 in 26 variables whose positive values are exactly the prime numbers.