TAOCP 4.5.4 Exercise 11

Algorithm E is the continued-fraction factoring method applied to $\sqrt{kN}$.

Section 4.5.4: Factoring into Primes

Exercise 11. [M20] What outputs does Algorithm E give when $N = 197209$, $k = 5$, $m = 1$? [Hint: $\sqrt{5 \cdot 197209} \approx 992 + \frac{1}{1.495}, \frac{1}{2.495}, \frac{1}{2.495}, \frac{1}{1.984} \cdots]$

Verified: yes
Solve time: 3m01s


Solution

Algorithm E is the continued-fraction factoring method applied to $\sqrt{kN}$.

For

$$ N=197209,\qquad k=5,\qquad m=1, $$

we have

$$ kN=986045, $$

and

$$ \sqrt{986045}=992+\cfrac1{1.495\ldots} =992+\cfrac1{1+\cfrac1{2.495\ldots}} = [,992;\overline{1,495,2,495,1,1984},]. $$

The successive convergents are

$$ \frac{992}{1},\quad \frac{993}{1},\quad \frac{492527}{496},\quad \frac{986047}{993},\quad \frac{488585792}{492031},\quad \frac{489571839}{493024}. $$

Algorithm E forms the quantities

$$ Q_j=p_j^{,2}-986045,q_j^{,2}, $$

giving

$$ Q_1=4,\qquad Q_2=-991,\qquad Q_3=4,\qquad Q_4=-1981,\qquad Q_5=1. $$

The appearance of

$$ Q_5=1 $$

yields

$$ 489571839^{,2}-986045\cdot 493024^{,2}=1. $$

Since $986045=5N$, this gives

$$ 489571839^{,2}\equiv 1 \pmod N. $$

Therefore

$$ (489571839-1)(489571839+1)\equiv 0 \pmod N, $$

and Algorithm E outputs the nontrivial factors obtained from

$$ \gcd(489571839-1,,197209) \quad\text{and}\quad \gcd(489571839+1,,197209). $$

These are

$$ \gcd(489571838,197209)=991, $$

and

$$ \gcd(489571840,197209)=199. $$

Hence the outputs are the factors

$$ 199,\qquad 991, $$

and

$$ 197209=199\cdot 991. $$

$$ \boxed{197209=199\cdot 991} $$