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Code and ciphers: Julius Caesar, the Enigma and the internet

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Ma<strong>the</strong>matical aspects 217<br />

problem unless <strong>the</strong> prime, p, is not too large. If R is not in <strong>the</strong> set �Q� no<br />

such value of n will be found. The values of p that are used are likely to<br />

exceed 10 50 <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> number of trials that will have to be made (except in<br />

some rare cases) is of <strong>the</strong> order of <strong>the</strong> square root of p, which makes <strong>the</strong><br />

computational task beyond <strong>the</strong> power of even <strong>the</strong> most powerful computers.<br />

The way in which Q, R <strong>and</strong> n are used to provide a signature to a<br />

message is somewhat involved <strong>and</strong> will not be described here. A reasonably<br />

brief <strong>and</strong> readable account will be found in [13.9].<br />

Anyone wishing to know more about this particular aspect of Galois<br />

<strong>the</strong>ory should consult books on finite fields. Galois was killed in a duel at<br />

<strong>the</strong> age of 20 in 1832. Knowing that he was almost certain to be killed he<br />

stayed awake during <strong>the</strong> night before <strong>the</strong> duel <strong>and</strong> wrote a paper, which<br />

he hoped would be published, explaining his ideas. The paper was eventually<br />

published, in 1846. Fur<strong>the</strong>r details of his life <strong>and</strong> work will be<br />

found in books on <strong>the</strong> history of ma<strong>the</strong>matics, such as [13.13].

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