1994: A Brief Introduction to Shor’s Algorithm For Quantum Computers

Factoring Integers with QCs

In 1994, American mathematician and computer scientist Peter Shor developed a groundbreaking quantum computer algorithm for factoring integers while working at AT&T Bell Laboratories. Shor’s algorithm drew inspiration from an earlier algorithm by Daniel Simon, which showcased the exponential speed advantage of quantum computers. Shor recognized that this advantage was linked to finding the period of a function, a crucial step in factoring integers. The algorithm was…