Factoring Large Integers
Ron Poet
Factoring integers is an interesting mathematical problem that is also relevant to code breaking and the RSA public key encryption system. The current best factoring methods use a small amount of number theory, but are also interesting computational problems, since potential factors are constructed from a table of partial factors. This project, which would suit a Mathematics graduate, has the following features:

• The use and evaluation of a C++ large number class. There are several different ways in which large numbers can be implemented in C++, and I am interested in evaluating the performance of several different approaches.
• Use of the multiple-sieve algorithm to generate a large number of partial factors.
• Construction of a table lookup mechanism for rapid storage and retrieval of partial factors, and the construction of trial factors.

This project will run on UNIX machines in the department.

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