Date of Award
Fall 12-2013
Degree Type
Honors College Thesis
Department
Mathematics
First Advisor
James Lambers
Second Advisor
Samuel Jeremy Lyle
Advisor Department
Mathematics
Abstract
Cryptography is the study of a centuries–old technique of secretly transferring information between parties. Linear recurrences were the chosen method of encryption and decryption in the thesis. The Fibonacci sequence, with its Zeckendorf representation, allows for the flexibility of encoding any number desired based on a particular encoding technique used in the film Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. The main goal is to find other linear recurrences that possess characteristics similar to the Fibonacci sequence to use as suitable substitutes for encoding. Different sequences were analyzed based on a number of criteria. In order for a sequence to be a candidate, it had to be first deemed a possible sequence based on the nature of the roots of its characteristic equation. Once it passed this test, a particular method was developed for showing that a sequence could be used to encode a set of numbers. This method was applied to various sequences, showing which sequences satisfy the desired encryption method.
Copyright
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Recommended Citation
Yeates, Amanda C., "Application of Linear Sequences to Cryptography" (2013). Honors Theses. 191.
https://aquila.usm.edu/honors_theses/191