Entropy, Periodicity and the Probability of Primality

The distribution of prime numbers has long been viewed as a balance between order and randomness. In this work, we investigate the relationship between entropy, periodicity, and primality through the computational framework of the binary derivative. We prove that periodic numbers are composite in all bases except for a single trivial case and establish a set of twelve theorems governing the behavior of primes and composites in terms of binary periodicity. Building upon these results, we introduce a novel scale-invariant entropic measure of primality, denoted p(<i>s</i>'), which provides an exact and unconditional entropic probability of primality derived solely from the periodic structure of a binary number and its binary derivatives. We show that p(<i>s</i>') is quadratic, statistically well-defined, and strongly correlated with our earlier BiEntropy measure of binary disorder. Empirical analyses across several numerical ranges demonstrate that the variance in prime density relative to quadratic expectation is small, binormal, and constrained by the central limit theorem. These findings reveal a deep connection between entropy and the randomness of the primes, offering new insights into the entropic structure of number theory, with implications for the Riemann Hypothesis, special classes of primes, and computational applications in cryptography.

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Publication Details

Journal
Entropy
Published
2025-11-27
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/e27121204
Primary Topic
Analytic Number Theory Research
Type
article
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0.00
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article

Entropy, Periodicity and the Probability of Primality

Grenville J. Croll
Entropy
Analytic Number Theory Research
article

Entropy, Periodicity and the Probability of Primality

Grenville J. Croll
article en

Abstract

The distribution of prime numbers has long been viewed as a balance between order and randomness. In this work, we investigate the relationship between entropy, periodicity, and primality through the computational framework of the binary derivative. We prove that periodic numbers are composite in all bases except for a single trivial case and establish a set of twelve theorems governing the behavior of primes and composites in terms of binary periodicity. Building upon these results, we introduce a novel scale-invariant entropic measure of primality, denoted p(<i>s</i>'), which provides an exact and unconditional entropic probability of primality derived solely from the periodic structure of a binary number and its binary derivatives. We show that p(<i>s</i>') is quadratic, statistically well-defined, and strongly correlated with our earlier BiEntropy measure of binary disorder. Empirical analyses across several numerical ranges demonstrate that the variance in prime density relative to quadratic expectation is small, binormal, and constrained by the central limit theorem. These findings reveal a deep connection between entropy and the randomness of the primes, offering new insights into the entropic structure of number theory, with implications for the Riemann Hypothesis, special classes of primes, and computational applications in cryptography.

EntropyVol. 27(12)
Openalex Percentile: Top 56%
Analytic Number Theory Research
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Entropy, Periodicity and the Probability of Primality — Grenville J. Croll · Entropy (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS