Prime number calculation fun

Question

We\'re having a bit of fun here at work. It all started with one of the guys setting up a Hackintosh and we were wondering whether it was faster than a Windows Box of (nearl

Answer 1

My take at optimization, avoiding too cryptic tricks. I use the trick given by I-GIVE-TERRIBLE-ADVICE, which I knew and forgot... :-)

public class Primes
{
  // Original code
  public static void first()
  {
    int topPrime = 150003;
    int current = 2;
    int count = 0;
    int lastPrime = 2;

    long start = System.currentTimeMillis();

    while (count < topPrime) {

      boolean prime = true;

      int top = (int)Math.sqrt(current) + 1;

      for (int i = 2; i < top; i++) {
        if (current % i == 0) {
          prime = false;
          break;
        }
      }

      if (prime) {
        count++;
        lastPrime = current;
//      System.out.print(lastPrime + " "); // Checking algo is correct...
      }
      if (current == 2) {
        current++;
      } else {
        current = current + 2;
      }
    }

    System.out.println("\n-- First");
    System.out.println("Last prime = " + lastPrime);
    System.out.println("Total time = " + (double)(System.currentTimeMillis() - start) / 1000);
  }

  // My attempt
  public static void second()
  {
    final int wantedPrimeNb = 150000;
    int count = 0;

    int currentNumber = 1;
    int increment = 4;
    int lastPrime = 0;

    long start = System.currentTimeMillis();

NEXT_TESTING_NUMBER:
    while (count < wantedPrimeNb)
    {
      currentNumber += increment;
      increment = 6 - increment;
      if (currentNumber % 2 == 0) // Even number
        continue;
      if (currentNumber % 3 == 0) // Multiple of three
        continue;

      int top = (int) Math.sqrt(currentNumber) + 1;
      int testingNumber = 5;
      int testIncrement = 2;
      do
      {
        if (currentNumber % testingNumber == 0)
        {
          continue NEXT_TESTING_NUMBER;
        }
        testingNumber += testIncrement;
        testIncrement = 6 - testIncrement;
      } while (testingNumber < top);
      // If we got there, we have a prime
      count++;
      lastPrime = currentNumber;
//      System.out.print(lastPrime + " "); // Checking algo is correct...
    }

    System.out.println("\n-- Second");
    System.out.println("Last prime = " + lastPrime);
    System.out.println("Total time = " + (double) (System.currentTimeMillis() - start) / 1000);
  }

  public static void main(String[] args)
  {
    first();
    second();
  }
}

Yes, I used a labeled continue, first time I try them in Java...
I know I skip computation of the first few primes, but they are well known, no point to recompute them. :-) I can hard-code their output if needed! Beside, it doesn't give a decisive edge anyway.

Results:

-- First
Last prime = 2015201
Total time = 4.281

-- Second
Last prime = 2015201
Total time = 0.953

Not bad. Might be improved a bit, I suppose, but too much optimization can kill good code.