PROPOSITION 20.¶

Prime numbers are more than any assigned multitude of prime numbers.

Let A, B, C be the assigned prime numbers ;

I say that there are more prime numbers than A, B, C.

For let the least number measured by A, B, C be taken, and let it be DE ; let the unit DF be added to DE.

Then EF is either prime or not.

First, let it be prime ;

then the prime numbers A, B, C, EF have been found which are more than A, B, C.

Next, let EF not be prime ;

[VII. 31]therefore it is measured by some prime number.

Let it be measured by the prime number G.

I say that G is not the same with any of the numbers A, B, C.

For, if possible, let it be so.

Now A, B, C measure DE ;

therefore G also will measure DE.

But it also measures EF.

Therefore G, being a number, will measure the remainder, the unit DF : which is absurd.

Therefore G is not the same with any one of the numbers A, B, C.

And by hypothesis it is prime.

Therefore the prime numbers A, B, C, G have been found which are more than the assigned multitude of A, B, C.

Q. E. D.

Dependency Graph¶