quantum algorithm
nounUK /ˈkwɒntəm ˈælɡərɪðəm/
US /ˈkwɑːntəm ˈælɡərɪðəm/
A set of steps a special super-fast computer follows to solve a problem.
The scientist used a quantum algorithm to find the answer much faster than a normal computer could.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A mathematical recipe designed to run on a quantum computer using qubits.
Shor's algorithm is a famous quantum algorithm for factoring numbers.
3. A sequence of quantum gates that transforms an input state into a useful output.
The team designed a quantum algorithm with only a few gates.
4. A computational method that may offer speedup over classical algorithms for certain tasks.
Researchers study whether this quantum algorithm truly beats the classical one.