Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The distribution of prime numbers has long been viewed as a balance between order and randomness. In this work, we investigate the relationship between entropy, periodicity, and primality through the computational framework of the binary derivative. We prove that periodic numbers are composite in all bases except for a single trivial case and establish a set of twelve theorems governing the behavior of primes and composites in terms of binary periodicity. Building upon these results, we introduce a novel scale-invariant entropic measure of primality, denoted p(s′), which provides an exact and unconditional entropic probability of primality derived solely from the periodic structure of a binary number and its binary derivatives. We show that p(s′) is quadratic, statistically well-defined, and strongly correlated with our earlier BiEntropy measure of binary disorder. Empirical analyses across several numerical ranges demonstrate that the variance in prime density relative to quadratic expectation is small, binormal, and constrained by the central limit theorem. These findings reveal a deep connection between entropy and the randomness of the primes, offering new insights into the entropic structure of number theory, with implications for the Riemann Hypothesis, special classes of primes, and computational applications in cryptography.
Source: Entropy
DOI: 10.3390/e27121204
Author: Grenville J. Croll
Language: English
Subfield: Algebra and Number Theory
Field: Mathematics
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,137
OpenAlex ID: W4416757500
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