--%>

State Fermat algorithm

The basic Fermat algorithm is as follows:

Assume that n is an odd positive integer. Set c = [√n] (`ceiling of √n '). Then we consider in turn the numbers

c2 - n; (c+1)2 - n; (c+2)2 - n.....

until a perfect square is found. If this occurs at the term (c+k)2 - n, then putting a = c+k we have

a2 - n = (c+k)2 - n = b2;

say, and then n = a2 - b2, as desired.

This process will terminate in the worst case when a = (n+1)/2, since

n = [(n+1)/2]2 - [(n-1)/2]2
 
In particular, the number of steps taken will be at worst

(n+1)/2 - [√n] +1 = O(n)

   Related Questions in Mathematics

  • Q : Linear programming model of a Cabinet

    A cabinet company produces cabinets used in mobile and motor homes. Cabinets produced for motor homes are smaller and made from less expensive materials than those for mobile homes. The home office in Dayton Ohio has just distributed to its individual manufacturing ce

  • Q : Explain the work and model proposed by

    Explain the work and model proposed by Richardson.

  • Q : Graph Theory is the n-Dimensional Qn

    is the n-Dimensional Qn Hamiltonian? Prove tour answer

  • Q : Law of iterated expectations for

     Prove the law of iterated expectations for continuous random variables. 2. Prove that the bounds in Chebyshev's theorem cannot be improved upon. I.e., provide a distribution that satisfies the bounds exactly for k ≥1, show that it satisfies the bounds exactly, and draw its PDF. T

  • Q : Problem on reduced row-echelon The

    The augmented matrix from a system of linear equations has the following reduced row-echelon form. 280_row echelon method.jpg

  • Q : The mean of the sampling distribution

    1. Caterer determines that 87% of people who sampled the food thought it was delicious. A random sample of 144 out of population of 5000 taken. The 144 are asked to sample the food. If P-hat is the proportion saying that the food is delicious, what is the mean of the sampling distribution p-hat?<

  • Q : Who firstly discovered mathematical

    Who firstly discovered mathematical theory for random walks, that rediscovered later by Einstein?

  • Q : Problem on Nash equilibrium In a

    In a project, employee and boss are working altogether. The employee can be sincere or insincere, and the Boss can either reward or penalize. The employee gets no benefit for being sincere but gets utility for being insincere (30), for getting rewarded (10) and for be

  • Q : Explain Factorisation by Fermats method

    Factorisation by Fermat's method: This method, dating from 1643, depends on a simple and standard algebraic identity. Fermat's observation is that if we wish to nd two factors of n, it is enough if we can express n as the di fference of two squares.

  • Q : Problem on Maple (a) Solve the

    (a) Solve the following  by: (i) First reducing the system of first order differentiat equations to a second order differential equation. (ii) Decoupling the following linear system of equa