<ul><li>A number with more than 40 million digits has been discovered as the largest known prime number.</li><li>The number, 2136279841-1, was found by amateur mathematician Luke Durant on 12 October.</li><li>It was confirmed as a prime number on 19 October and is the 52nd Mersenne prime discovered so far.</li><li>Durant, a member of the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search (GIMPS), will donate his prize money to a math department.</li></ul>

Largest known prime number discovered by amateur mathematician

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