Mathematics
The Chinese Remainder Theorem and Its Applications
Quick fact
The Chinese Remainder Theorem, first recorded by Sun Tzu in the 3rd century, reduces a calculation modulo a large composite number to smaller calculations modulo its prime factors, making RSA decryption up to four times faster.
Why this is interesting
Imagine you know a number's remainders when divided by 3 and by 5. Can you figure out the number itself? This ancient puzzle holds the key to modern cryptography.