Research: RSA Encryption
Mathematics forms the foundation for all sciences, and newer fields of study rely on math just as much as the traditional disciplines do. Just as some topics in physics can best be understood using calculus, some topics in computer science are only possible with the help of abstract algebra. During my final semester at Mount Saint Mary College, I had the opportunity to research RSA encryption, a cryptosystem for securely transmitting data over the Internet. Abstract algebra is (as its name implies) not as obvious in its applications as other areas of math, but this project demonstrated just how powerful an understanding of abstract algebra can be. Furthermore, number theory, discrete mathematics, and even the fundamental theorem of arithmetic are essential to the functioning of RSA encryption. I created a slideshow presentation of what I learned during this project, as well as a worksheet designed to accompany it (both can be downloaded at the bottom of this page). Using the worksheet in conjunction with the slideshow should help a math or computing student to better understand how abstract algebra plays a role in the kinds of network security that we rely on daily.