(Phys.org) —Two math and physics researchers from the University's of Barcelona and Madrid respectively have developed an algorithm to count prime numbers using a quantum computer. José Latorre ...

Informally, a positive counting number larger than one is prime if that number of dots can be arranged only into a rectangular array with one column or one row. For example, 11 is a prime number ...

A million-dollar puzzle relating to prime numbers could be tackled using only a mid-sized quantum computer. There is a race to find ever bigger primes , but no way to predict when the next one ...

Prime numbers are something like “atoms of mathematics,” which can only be divided by themselves and the number 1. ... There are other sieves or algorithms to identify prime numbers.

Prime numbers can only be divided by themselves and 1. Figuring out which numbers are prime can be tricky, so mathematicians have developed various algorithms to speed up the search .