Quadratic Sieve

The Quadratic Sieve is an advanced mathematical method used to factor large composite numbers, which are numbers that can't be evenly divided by any smaller number except 1 and themselves. It works by finding numbers that, when processed through specific calculations, reveal patterns or relationships—specifically, numbers that share common factors. By cleverly exploiting these patterns, the Quadratic Sieve can efficiently break down very large numbers into their prime factors, a task essential for cryptography, particularly in breaking codes or securing data. It's one of the fastest algorithms for factoring large numbers before more recent methods like the general number field sieve.