integer factorization
nounUK /ˈɪn.tɪ.dʒə ˌfæk.tər.aɪˈzeɪ.ʃən/
US /ˈɪn.tə.dʒər ˌfæk.tər.əˈzeɪ.ʃən/
Breaking a whole number into smaller whole numbers that multiply together to make it.
Integer factorization of 12 gives 2 × 2 × 3.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. The process of finding all the factors of a given whole number.
Finding 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 12 for the number 12 is a simple integer factorization.
3. A key step in cryptography, used to keep secret codes safe.
Some secret codes rely on how hard integer factorization is for very large numbers.
4. Splitting a number into a product of prime numbers, called its prime factorization.
The integer factorization of 30 is 2 × 3 × 5.