answersLogoWhite

0

Why are prime numbers so important?

Updated: 4/28/2022
User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

Best Answer

The reason why prime numbers are important practically is because of cryptography.

Prime numbers are an essential part of what is called 'public-key cryptography'.

In this technique two (massively massively large) prime numbers are multiplied together to generate a public key. Meanwhile the identity of exactly which two prime numbers are involved is kept secret (this is the private key).

In the system you can use the public key to encode data and send it to me. But only I can decode that data because only I know the private key.

This only works if prime numbers are involved. Otherwise a third party could come along and just start working out all the divisors of my public key and eventually crack which two (non-prime) numbers are the private key.

When prime numbers are used, the third party can still try this method (called a brute force attack) but would have to try loads more numbers (because my public key only has two divisors - the two prime numbers - which by definition have no divisors of their own). This means that it would take a long time and wouldn't really be worth it.

This technique forms the basis of most encryption over the internet (such as https). A website can send out its public key. The web page can then encode data and send it back to the website but it still can't be deciphered without the private key (even if the public key itself was intercepted).

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: Why are prime numbers so important?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Continue Learning about Basic Math

Are any two prime numbers relatively prime?

Any two prime numbers will be relatively prime. Numbers are relatively prime if they do not have any prime factors in common. Prime numbers have only themselves as prime factors, so all prime numbers are relatively prime to the others.


Can a natural number be a prime number?

All prime numbers are natural numbers. So yes, some natural numbers are prime numbers.


Is every number in the nineties composite or prime what the correct?

The only prime number in the 90s is 97. So out of ten numbers one is a prime number and the remaining nine numbers are composite numbers. So 90s comprises of both prime numbers and composite numbers.


How do you calculate the sum of first 20 prime number?

You find the first 20 prime numbers and add them together. There is no formula for generating a sequence of prime numbers and so none for the series of their sums.You find the first 20 prime numbers and add them together. There is no formula for generating a sequence of prime numbers and so none for the series of their sums.You find the first 20 prime numbers and add them together. There is no formula for generating a sequence of prime numbers and so none for the series of their sums.You find the first 20 prime numbers and add them together. There is no formula for generating a sequence of prime numbers and so none for the series of their sums.


What does 'product of prime numbers' mean?

The multiplication answer of the prime numbers, so if you multiply them, the answer is called the product

Related questions

What is the general formula that guides all prime numbers?

There is no general formula and, in some respects, that is what makes prime numbers so important and interesting to mathematicians.There is no general formula and, in some respects, that is what makes prime numbers so important and interesting to mathematicians.There is no general formula and, in some respects, that is what makes prime numbers so important and interesting to mathematicians.There is no general formula and, in some respects, that is what makes prime numbers so important and interesting to mathematicians.


Are any two prime numbers relatively prime?

Any two prime numbers will be relatively prime. Numbers are relatively prime if they do not have any prime factors in common. Prime numbers have only themselves as prime factors, so all prime numbers are relatively prime to the others.


Can a natural number be a prime number?

All prime numbers are natural numbers. So yes, some natural numbers are prime numbers.


Is number24 prime?

Nope. Because prime numbers are old numbers so it isn't a prime number.


What square numbers are there before 100 which are prime numbers?

A square number, by definition, cannot be a prime so the answer is there are no such numbers.A square number, by definition, cannot be a prime so the answer is there are no such numbers.A square number, by definition, cannot be a prime so the answer is there are no such numbers.A square number, by definition, cannot be a prime so the answer is there are no such numbers.


Is every number in the nineties composite or prime what the correct?

The only prime number in the 90s is 97. So out of ten numbers one is a prime number and the remaining nine numbers are composite numbers. So 90s comprises of both prime numbers and composite numbers.


What two prime numbers equal 50?

There are two prime numbers that equals 50. The two numbers are 13 & 37. Both numbers are prime, so that's the answer.


How do you calculate the sum of first 20 prime number?

You find the first 20 prime numbers and add them together. There is no formula for generating a sequence of prime numbers and so none for the series of their sums.You find the first 20 prime numbers and add them together. There is no formula for generating a sequence of prime numbers and so none for the series of their sums.You find the first 20 prime numbers and add them together. There is no formula for generating a sequence of prime numbers and so none for the series of their sums.You find the first 20 prime numbers and add them together. There is no formula for generating a sequence of prime numbers and so none for the series of their sums.


What does 'product of prime numbers' mean?

The multiplication answer of the prime numbers, so if you multiply them, the answer is called the product


Why are prime numbers more useful for the creation of codes than composite numbers?

Actually both are important. Public encryption is based on the product (and so a composite) of two very large prime numbers.


Why are prime numbers important?

They're used extensively in encryption.


What numbers have 2 as their prime factorization?

All even numbers are multiples of 2, so they have 2 in their prime factorization. No odd numbers are divisible by 2, so no add number has 2 in its prime factorization.