I know it is unknown if there are infinitely many primes of the form $n^2+1$. Is it known if there is a positive integer $k$ such that $|\{n\in\mathbb{Z}:n^2+1 \text{ has at most k prime factors}\}|=\infty$?
Prime factors of $n^2+1$
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number-theory
prime-numbers
2 Answers
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Yes, Iwaniec, "Almost-primes represented by quadratic polynomials", Inventiones Math., 47:171–188, 1978, proves that there exist infinitely many integers $n$ such that $n^2 + 1$ is either prime or the product of two primes.
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0Andres defeated me by 20seconds – 2010-11-19
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3I'm teaching number theory, so I had the reference in my desk. :-) – 2010-11-19
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0Oh, i googled it and got a reference. Nice to know anyway. – 2010-11-19
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Please see Iwaniec, "Almost-primes represented by quadratic polynomials", Inventiones Math