Theorem

Bertrand's Postulate

Number Theory

For every integer n greater than 1, there is always at least one prime number p with n less than p less than 2n. Conjectured by Joseph Bertrand and proved by Pafnuty Chebyshev, it gives a simple bound on the gaps between primes.

Facts
Statement
A less restrictive formulation is: for every n > 1, there is always at least one prime p such that n < p < 2n. 1
Proof Year
1852 1
Proof Method
Contradiction 2
Classification
Statement Form
Existence Theorem 1
Statement Form
Inequality 1
Bertrand's Postulate
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Has Statement Form

In Branch

Principal Result Of

Source MacTutor History of Mathematics, University of St Andrews: Joseph Louis François Bertrand

Proved By

Source Bertrand's Postulate (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Bertrand's Postulate (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundation
  • Lead section
    Chebyshev proved it in 1852 and so it is also called the Bertrand-Chebyshev theorem or Chebyshev's theorem.
  • History section
    Chebyshev proved it in 1852 and so it is also called the Bertrand-Chebyshev theorem or Chebyshev's theorem.
  • Proved By: Pafnuty Chebyshev, Lead
    Chebyshev proved it in 1852 and so it is also called the Bertrand-Chebyshev theorem or Chebyshev's theorem.
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2. ProofWiki: Bertrand-Chebyshev Theorem
ProofWikiProof section
Quote, Proof section
Aiming for a contradiction, suppose there is no prime number $p$ with $n < p \le 2 n$.
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MacTutor History of Mathematics, University of St Andrews: Joseph Louis François Bertrand
MacTutor History of Mathematics, University of St AndrewsPrincipal Result Of: Joseph Bertrand, Biography text
Quote, Principal Result Of: Joseph Bertrand, Biography text
G N Matvievskaja, Bertrand's postulate in Euler's notes ( Russian ) , Istor.-Mat.
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