If a way was found tomorrow to predict the next prime number in the series of prime numbers would this have any appreciable impact on science as we know it ?
2007-01-29 13:39:07 · 8 answers · asked by democracynow 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
Because prime numbers are used in certain kinds of cryptography, it would seem at first that there would be an impact, but this isn't actually true.
Cryptography depends on the difficulty of FACTORING the product of two primes, and being able to find primes easily would be absolutely no help with that. You still have to find the RIGHT primes, and even stepping through them at gigahertz rates, it would still take you forever and a bit. Cryptography would still be secure.
But the position of the next prime is connected with the zeroes of the Riemann Zeta function. And finding sufficient regularity to predict the next prime would surely tell us sufficiently more about those zeroes to settle the long-standing Riemann Hypothesis. There still wouldn't be much practical impact, but somebody would get a million dollars for it.
2007-01-29 23:57:23 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well that depends on your definition of "Science."
But there are uses for prime numbers.
The most commonly known one is encryption. Which is basically making something secret.
You might hear or read about 128-bit encryption, that's where your computer does it. When you go over a "secure connection" that's 128 bit encryption and it allows whatever information to be only readable to the website you are sending it to.
It is possible that other people can intercept your information but if it is encrypted it is very hard to unencrypt without the key.
Which involves linear algebra, matricies, and large prime numbers.
There are people who would pay large sums of money for such a formula too. Or just the numbers.
2007-01-29 13:49:24 · answer #2 · answered by NightWindZero 2 · 2⤊ 2⤋
a million isn't often seen a top notch. Is it to be seen a top notch in this question? Eqn(13): 2+5+11 = 3*(13-7) Eqn(17): 3+7+17-11 = 2*(13-5) Eqn(19): 2+5+13-3 =17*(19-7-11) this is sufficient for now! --- ---- 4 operations: Eqn(13): (5+7)/(13-11) = 2*3 Eqn(17): (2+13)/(7+11-17) = 3*5 Eqn(19): (11+19)/(3*5-2*7) = 13+17 Eqn(23): (3+13)/(5*17-7*11) = 23-2-19
2016-12-16 16:40:19 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Prime numbers are used in public key encryption but not in private key encryption.
The 128 bit cypher used in browsers is private key encryption.
Public key encryption is used to pass a private key and then private key encryption is used to communicate.
2007-01-29 14:00:14 · answer #4 · answered by J C 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the field of cryptology, yes, where VERY large prime numbers are used to encrypt data. If these prime numbers were discovered, all sorts of top-secret/sensitive government and corporate data would be at risk.
2007-01-29 13:49:36 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
It might have a big impact on crytography since primes are used extensively there.
2007-01-29 13:48:25 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
probably, as most encryption systems used today rely on the fact that its hard to find large primes, therefore, it will make breaking these codes easier.
if you could find a way to decompose huge numbers into their prime factors very quickly it would break the codes in seconds
2007-01-30 01:03:05 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
e=mcsquared
2007-01-29 13:47:19 · answer #8 · answered by LongJohns 7 · 0⤊ 4⤋