Codes and the Quantum Computer
Artur Ekert, University of Cambridge
1st videoconference: 19 May 2005, 10.30am start (UK time)
2nd videoconference: 5 July 2005, 10.30am (UK time)
Preliminary task and follow-up project work
This conference consists of two videoconferences with follow-up project work set in between - see http://www.motivate.maths.org/teachers/2_conference_format.htm for more details.
We all rely on codes to keep our credit card details secret when we buy something online. How secure are these codes? How do codebreakers go about trying to crack a code?
This conference will look at methods of breaking codes from frequency analysis to the use of prime numbers.There will also be a brief introduction to the concept of quantum computers, which have the potential to revolutionise codes and codebreaking all over again.
Further reading:
The Code Book: The Secret History of Codes and Code-breaking by Simon Singh, published by Fourth Estate, London, ISBN 1-85702-889-9
Simon Singh's website
You can download Simon Singh's Code Book on CD-Rom here.
Schools already booked for this conference
Article on the Plus website which covers part of the material Artur Ekert will talk about during this conference.
Second part to follow soon.
You may also find Claire Ellis' article in the same edition of Plus interesting. This is about the Enigma machine, which the Germans used to encode their secret messages in the Second World War. Codebreakers at Bletchley Park in the UK were able to crack these messages thus shortening the war, possibly by as much as two years.
Preliminary task to be done before the first videoconference
Artur Ekert's powerpoint slides from the first videoconference
Student presentations given during the second videoconference.
