TITLE: Prime number in a polynomial expression
QUESTION [6 upvotes]: Will be glad for a little hint: let x and n be positive integer such that $1+x+x^2+\dots+x^{n-1}$ is a prime number then show that n is prime

REPLY [6 votes]: Hint $\ $ The sequence $\rm\:f_n = (x^n-1)/(x-1)\:$ is a divisibility sequence, i.e. $\rm\:m\:|\:n\:$ $\Rightarrow$ $\rm\:f_m\:|\:f_n.\:$  
In fact it is a strong divisibility sequence, i.e. $\rm\:(f_m,f_n) = f_{\:\!(m,n)},\:$ which implies an intimate relationship between divisibility properties of the $\rm\:f_n\:$ and integers $\rm\:n\:$ (so, in particular, relation between notions associated with divisibility, such as irreducible = prime).