Searching for primes in the digits of \(\pi\) (Q1767953)

The authors first discuss the expected number of primes in a sequence of \(n\) random positive integers \((a_k)\), \(1 \leq k \leq n\), such that \(a_k\) has \(k\) decimal digits. Using suitable approximations for the density of primes with exactly \(k\) digits and performing some numerical computations, they give evidence for the statement that the above expected number is approximately \(\log_{10} n + 0.33\). The results of repeated computer experiments on actual random sequences are given, for \(n=10,100,1000\). Finally, they give the results of their computer search for primes in the sequence of integers taken out from the digits of \(\pi\), that is defined by \(a_k = \lfloor \pi \cdot 10^{k-1} \rfloor\). The search was limited to the cases \(n=10,100,1000\), but the results appear to support the convinction that the digits of \(\pi\) are random-like.