Pseudoprime

2 definitions found

From Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001) [jargon]:

  pseudoprime n. A backgammon prime (six consecutive occupied points)
     with one point missing. This term is an esoteric pun derived from number
     theory: a number that passes a certain kind of "primality test" may be
     called a `pseudoprime' (all primes pass any such test, but so do some
     composite numbers), and any number that passes several is, in some
     sense, almost certainly prime. The hacker backgammon usage stems from


     the idea that a pseudoprime is almost as good as a prime: it will do the
     same job unless you are unlucky.
  
  

From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:

  pseudoprime
       
          A backgammon prime (six consecutive occupied points) with one
          point missing.  This term is an esoteric pun derived from a
          mathematical method that, rather than determining precisely
          whether a number is prime (has no divisors), uses a
          statistical technique to decide whether the number is
          "probably" prime.  A number that passes this test is called a
          pseudoprime.  The hacker backgammon usage stems from the idea
          that a pseudoprime is almost as good as a prime: it does the
          job of a prime until proven otherwise, and that probably won't
          happen.
       
          [{Jargon File}]