1FACTOR(1)                   General Commands Manual                  FACTOR(1)
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NAME

6       factor, primes - factor a number, generate large primes
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SYNOPSIS

9       factor [ number ]
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11       primes
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DESCRIPTION

14       When factor is invoked without an argument, it waits for a number to be
15       typed in.  If you type in  a  positive  number  less  than  256  (about
16       7.2e16) it will factor the number and print its prime factors; each one
17       is printed the proper number of times.  Then it waits for another  num‐
18       ber.  It exits if it encounters a zero or any non-numeric character.
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20       If  factor  is invoked with an argument, it factors the number as above
21       and then exits.
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23       Maximum time to factor is proportional to sqrt(n) and occurs when n  is
24       prime  or  the  square of a prime.  It takes 1 minute to factor a prime
25       near 1014 on a PDP11.
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27       When primes is invoked, it waits for a number to be typed in.   If  you
28       type  in  a  positive  number  less  than  256 it will print all primes
29       greater than or equal to this number.
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DIAGNOSTICS

32       `Ouch.' for input out of range or for garbage input.
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36                                                                     FACTOR(1)
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