0xA6A6A6A6 is not prime.  The website does not claim it's prime.

It claims that it is a prime polynomial - this means that the
polynomial cannot be broken up into smaller real polynomials
(factored):

if
Ax^2 + Bx + C
can be described as
(x + D)(x + E)
Where A through E are all real numbers then the polynomial described
by ABC is prime.

Or something like that.  Similar to prime numbers, you cannot factor a
prime polynomial.

So: that number is not prime.  It may describe a prime polynomial (I'm
not going to check!)

-Adam

On 4/9/06, Stef Mientki <s.mientki@mailbox.kun.nl> wrote:
> I was using the 24 bits random generator, suggested by Mark Jeronimus, at
>
>  http://www.piclist.com/techref/microchip/rand8bit.htm
> I'm very satisfied about it.
>
> But now I want to use a 32 bit random generator, and I read this
>    "The prime polynom is 0xA6A6A6A6 (Yes this is a prime polynom! It
> went through a hell to find it)"
>
> Is this correct ?
> At least I can divide it by 2,
> so what I remember from prime numbers,
> this is NOT a prime number.
>
> thanks,
> Stef Mientki
>
>
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