primedecompositionmethod
nounA way to break a number into the prime numbers that multiply together to make it.
Using the prime decomposition method, we found that 12 equals 2 times 2 times 3.
SYNONYMS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A step-by-step procedure in number theory for writing any whole number greater than one as a product of primes.
The prime decomposition method guarantees a unique result for every whole number greater than one.
3. A classroom technique for finding the greatest common divisor of two numbers by comparing their prime factors.
She used the prime decomposition method to find the greatest common divisor of 18 and 24.
4. A computational approach used in cryptography for splitting large numbers into prime factors.
Modern encryption relies on the fact that the prime decomposition method is very slow for huge numbers.