# What were you THINKING? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 13, 2023, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532 "2023-10-13T19:36:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 5124
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/5124 "2025-06-16T19:38:32Z")
> [@TroutMan](#): > > So this was an interesting experience for me, because I was nodding along with the complaints about people not reading threads. I agree, it’s annoying as hell. And then I did the exact same thing, on the same day no less. It’s like some corollary of Gaudere’s Law. Don’t feel bad. Check out posts 8 and 10 over here. > [@Mersenne Prime: How is it the largest Mersenne Prime (found so far) is 2^136,279,841 -1 but, when calculated the answer is 41,024,320 digits long?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mersenne-prime-how-is-it-the-largest-mersenne-prime-found-so-far-is-2-136-279-841-1-but-when-calculated-the-answer-is-41-024-320-digits-long/1019649): > > If I calculate 2^7 the answer is 128 (three digits long). 2^20 is 1,048,576 (seven digit long). The largest Mersenne Prime calculated (so far) is 2^136,279,841 -1 but, when printed out, that number is 41,024,320 digits long. How do I know? I [have a book with all those numbers printed out in the one book](https://www.amazon.com/largest-known-prime-number-Mersenne/dp/6501195543?crid=5G6E4HORNY0M&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.USvhrNch0EfcdALi8WNWaurffuj0pbd_AZxeIQoKgRTY9hXL9KBMsbSDl0dDe7zFTm_0c6Yd_afpB6zv54ezPg.GOjtPHK5Y2xFksZfBELE8CTHFN34vA-27mNvH6aPHjY&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+largest+known+prime+number&qid=1749951099&sprefix=ther+largest+known+prime+number%2Caps%2C89&sr=8-1) and that is what it says. I’m clearly missing something here. How can the two to an exponent be bigger than the answer when you count all the digits in the answer versus the number of digit… Where post #9 is so small that unless one is posting on a phone, one can see post 8 while writing one’s post #10. I also think that posting on a phone is contributing to that occurring more frequently for all of us. The Dope is a bigger body of activity than can be safely viewed through a soda straw. As to this and other goofs, I’m sure not claiming any infallibility. As I’ve said more than once: “If you say enough stuff around here, some of it is just bound to be really stupid.” --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532)._