Chapter 19 Summary

In this aside chapter that apparently has nothing to do with the plot, Christopher acknowledges that most book chapters are labeled with cardinal numbers, but he uses prime numbers because he likes prime numbers better than cardinal numbers. He then provides his readers with a chart for determining prime numbers and notes that no one has yet figured out a simple formula for identifying very large prime numbers. He says that in America, prime numbers are considered Military Material because they are used in codes, and you have to notify the CIA if you find one. If you find one more than 100 digits long, the CIA will buy it from you for $10,000. Christopher closes the chapter by telling his readers, “Prime numbers are what’s left when you have taken all of the patterns away.” He equates prime numbers to life, noting that...