How to reverse sieve for prime numbers?

"Douglas Lewit [email protected] [ocaml_beginners]" <[email protected]> Thu, 16 Feb 2017 01:59:09 -0600
Newsgroups gmane.comp.lang.ocaml.beginners
Message-ID <CAM0XMJRj1rNncACP6w-snXB03CUXNNuKYvyqk9xmnLyPOX0UgQ@mail.gmail.com>
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Hi everyone,

This is a function I created to filter out all the prime numbers from 2 to
some integer n.  I like the function and it appears to be very fast and
efficient.

*let sieve num = let rec sequence lower upper = if lower > upper then [ ]
else lower :: sequence ( lower + 1 ) upper in *
*                           let integers = sequence 2 num in *
*                           let num' = float_of_int num in *
*                           let num'' = sqrt num' in *
*                           let num''' = ceil num'' in *
*                           let num'''' = int_of_float num''' in *
*                           let rec sieve' start potential_primes = *
*                                if start > num'''' then potential_primes *
*                                else sieve' ( start + 1 ) ( List.filter (
fun x -> if x > start && x mod start = 0 then false else true ) *
*                                potential_primes ) in *
*                                sieve' 2 integers ;;*


However, I'm having trouble with the reverse question.  I know from
experimentation that there are 25 prime integers in the interval [2, 100).
That's great.  I can find those integers by apply the function above
with *sieve
100*.  But what a function called *findNPrimes 25* that returns the first
25 prime numbers?  I'm finding that function rather difficult to write.
Any clues or hints?  Thanks!!!

Best,

Douglas.

P.S.  Does anyone know of any CS professors or professionals in the Chicago
area who are fairly adept at OCaml?  Also, I am curious about something.  I
read that OCaml really descended from a programming language called
STANDARD ML.  How different is OCaml from Standard ML.  Pretty close?  Or
very different?  I appreciate the feedback.

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      <p><div dir=3D"ltr"><font size=3D"4">Hi everyone,</font><div><font si=
ze=3D"4"><br></font></div><div><font size=3D"4">This is a function I create=
d to filter out all the prime numbers from 2 to some integer n.=C2=A0 I lik=
e the function and it appears to be very fast and efficient.</font></div><d=
iv><font size=3D"4"><br></font></div><div><font size=3D"4"><div><b><font co=
lor=3D"#4c1130">let sieve num =3D let rec sequence lower upper =3D if lower=
 &gt; upper then [ ] else lower :: sequence ( lower + 1 ) upper in=C2=A0</f=
ont></b></div><div><b><font color=3D"#4c1130">=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0let in=
tegers =3D sequence 2 num in=C2=A0</font></b></div><div><b><font color=3D"#=
4c1130">=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=
=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0let num&#39; =3D float_of_int num in=C2=A0</=
font></b></div><div><b><font color=3D"#4c1130">=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0let nu=
m&#39;&#39; =3D sqrt num&#39; in=C2=A0</font></b></div><div><b><font color=
=3D"#4c1130">=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0=
 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0let num&#39;&#39;&#39; =3D ceil num&#39;=
&#39; in=C2=A0</font></b></div><div><b><font color=3D"#4c1130">=C2=A0 =C2=
=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =
=C2=A0 =C2=A0let num&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; =3D int_of_float num&#39;&#39;&#39=
; in=C2=A0</font></b></div><div><b><font color=3D"#4c1130">=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=
=A0 =C2=A0let rec sieve&#39; start potential_primes =3D=C2=A0</font></b></d=
iv><div><b><font color=3D"#4c1130">=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=
=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 i=
f start &gt; num&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; then potential_primes=C2=A0</font></b>=
</div><div><b><font color=3D"#4c1130">=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=
=A0 else sieve&#39; ( start + 1 ) ( List.filter ( fun x -&gt; if x &gt; sta=
rt &amp;&amp; x mod start =3D 0 then false else true )=C2=A0</font></b></di=
v><div><b><font color=3D"#4c1130">=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0=
 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 pote=
ntial_primes ) in=C2=A0</font></b></div><div><b><font color=3D"#4c1130">=C2=
=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =
=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 sieve&#39; 2 integers ;;</font></b></div=
><div><b><font color=3D"#4c1130"><br></font></b></div><div><b><font color=
=3D"#4c1130"><br></font></b></div><div><font color=3D"#000000">However, I&#=
39;m having trouble with the reverse question.=C2=A0 I know from experiment=
ation that there are 25 prime integers in the interval [2, 100).=C2=A0 That=
&#39;s great.=C2=A0 I can find those integers by apply the function above w=
ith <b>sieve 100</b>.=C2=A0 But what a function called <b>findNPrimes 25</b=
> that returns the first 25 prime numbers?=C2=A0 I&#39;m finding that funct=
ion rather difficult to write.=C2=A0 Any clues or hints?=C2=A0 Thanks!!!</f=
ont></div><div><font color=3D"#000000"><br></font></div><div><font color=3D=
"#000000">Best,</font></div><div><font color=3D"#000000"><br></font></div><=
div><font color=3D"#000000">Douglas.</font></div><div><font color=3D"#00000=
0"><br></font></div><div><font color=3D"#000000">P.S.=C2=A0 Does anyone kno=
w of any CS professors or professionals in the Chicago area who are fairly =
adept at OCaml?=C2=A0 Also, I am curious about something.=C2=A0 I read that=
 OCaml really descended from a programming language called STANDARD ML.=C2=
=A0 How different is OCaml from Standard ML.=C2=A0 Pretty close?=C2=A0 Or v=
ery different?=C2=A0 I appreciate the feedback.</font></div><div><font colo=
r=3D"#000000"><br></font></div><div><font color=3D"#000000"><br></font></di=
v><div><font color=3D"#000000"><br></font></div><div><br></div></font></div=
></div>
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  }

  #ygrp-mlmsg select, input, textarea {
    font: 99% Arial, Helvetica, clean, sans-serif;
  }

  #ygrp-mlmsg pre, code {
    font:115% monospace;
    *font-size:100%;
  }

  #ygrp-mlmsg * {
    line-height: 1.22em;
  }

  #ygrp-mlmsg #logo {
    padding-bottom: 10px;
  }


  #ygrp-msg p a {
    font-family: Verdana;
  }

  #ygrp-msg p#attach-count span {
    color: #1E66AE;
    font-weight: 700;
  }

  #ygrp-reco #reco-head {
    color: #ff7900;
    font-weight: 700;
  }

  #ygrp-reco {
    margin-bottom: 20px;
    padding: 0px;
  }

  #ygrp-sponsor #ov li a {
    font-size: 130%;
    text-decoration: none;
  }

  #ygrp-sponsor #ov li {
    font-size: 77%;
    list-style-type: square;
    padding: 6px 0;
  }=20

  #ygrp-sponsor #ov ul {
    margin: 0;
    padding: 0 0 0 8px;
  }

  #ygrp-text {
    font-family: Georgia;
  }

  #ygrp-text p {
    margin: 0 0 1em 0;
  }

  #ygrp-text tt {
    font-size: 120%;
  }

  #ygrp-vital ul li:last-child {
    border-right: none !important;=20
  }=20
  -->
  </style>
</head>

<!--~-|**|PrettyHtmlEnd|**|-~-->
</html>
<!-- end group email -->


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