Pollard's rho algorithm 2026-10-20
An integer factorization algorithm that iterates a simple map such as and searches for a nontrivial greatest common divisor of and the difference of two iterates. A collision modulo an unknown prime factor can reveal that factor before a collision modulo . A cycle detection schedule such as Floyd's cycle-finding algorithm limits the number of stored iterates. Unsuccessful choices of seed or map can be retried.