A084599 a(1) = 2, a(2) = 3; for n >= 2, a(n+1) is largest prime factor of (Product_{k=1..n} a(k)) - 1.

2, 3, 5, 29, 79, 68729, 3739, 6221191, 157170297801581, 70724343608203457341903, 46316297682014731387158877659877, 78592684042614093322289223662773, 181891012640244955605725966274974474087, 547275580337664165337990140111772164867508038795347198579326533639132704344301831464707648235639448747816483406685904347568344407941

Offset: 1

Author

Marc LeBrun, May 31 2003

Keywords

• nonn

Comments

Like the Euclid-Mullin sequence A000946, but subtracting rather than adding 1 to the product.

Examples

			a(4)=29 since 2*3*5=30 and 29 is the largest prime factor of 30-1
a(5)=79 since 2*3*5*29=870 and 79 is the largest prime factor of 870-1=869=11*79.
		

Links

• Dario Alpern, Factorization using the Elliptic Curve Method

Crossrefs

Cf. A000946, A005265, A084598.

Essentially the same as A005266.

Extensions

More terms from Hugo Pfoertner, May 31 2003, using Dario Alpern's ECM.

The next term a(15) is not known. It requires the factorization of the 245-digit composite number which remains after eliminating 7 smaller factors.