TechnologyAugust 13, 2026
logarithm
LOG-uh-rith-um
Definition
A mathematical operation that determines the exponent to which a fixed base must be raised to produce a given number, often used to measure the complexity or difficulty of cracking encryption.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek words 'logos' meaning proportion or ratio and 'arithmos' meaning number. It was coined by mathematician John Napier in the early 17th century to simplify complex calculations.
In the news
The article uses the concept of logarithms to explain how quantum computing's ability to solve complex math problems rapidly will make current encryption methods vulnerable to being broken.
BOLTS CEO says all modern encryption is ‘a good guess’ and quantum will call the bluff
Read the full article ↗AOL.com