Prime numbers can be defined as numbers that can only be divided by one and the number itself. A prime number will always have only two factors, that is, the number itself and one. 2, 3, 19 are examples of a prime number. Suppose we take the number 10. The factors of 10 are 1, 2, 5, and 10. As it has more than two factors (apart from 1 and 10), it is known as a composite number. Prime numbers are an arithmetic mystery that is not just limited to having only two factors. Once Euclid proved that the list of primes is endless, there has been constant research going on about primes that continue even to date. One ongoing project called the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search aims to find prime numbers. It has yielded the largest prime number that has 23,249,425 digits and can fill 9000 pages of a book taking 14 years to compute this value. Prime numbers see great use in cybersecurity and cryptography.
Application of Prime Numbers in Cybersecurity
Say you want to make an online purchase from Macy’s. You will have to enter your credit card or debit card details in order to buy a product. It is important that this process is a secure transaction so that your card details are not available to hackers; otherwise, they can drain your bank accounts. This is where the concept of primes comes into play. Ron Rivest, Adi Shamir, and Leonard Adleman used positive prime integers and combined basic concepts to create the RSA algorithm. Initially, it was used to transfer sensitive military information securely but now sees widespread use in various fields, especially those involving the use of electronic cash.
What are Ordinal Numbers?
Ordinal numbers are numbers that are used to denote the exact position of an object or a thing at a specific place. Say we have a list of a given number of people or objects, and we want to order them. In other words, we want to provide them with a logical position. In such a case, we use ordinal numbers. Ordinal numbers are used to generalize natural numbers so that it becomes easy to arrange or order a collection of things or objects one after another. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th are all ordinal numbers.
Application of Ordinal Numbers
1.Suppose a child has five fruits – orange, banana, apple, papaya, and mango. He has to arrange them in alphabetical order. Thus, he does it in the following manner:
The 1st (first) place will be occupied by an apple.
2nd comes a banana.
Mango occupies the 3rd spot.
Orange will take the 4th spot.
Papaya is the last and 5th spot.
In such a way, he uses ordinal numbers to arrange the fruits alphabetically.
2.If we are describing the steps of a process such as the water cycle. It is important to list down the process in an organized manner as given below:
1st – Evaporation
2nd – Condensation
3rd – Precipitation
4th – Infiltration
5th – Surface runoff
6th – Substrate Overflow
Conclusion
As we can see from the above applications, prime numbers and ordinal numbers are essential in a child’s learning curriculum. To get the best knowledge, children should approach an online educational institution such as Cuemath. The certified math experts use several resources to ensure that kids develop a robust mathematical foundation and also have an enjoyable experience. So start your journey in learning numbers with Cuemath today!
