Mathematicians still don't know the fastest way to multiply numbers

Other: mathematics(scientificamerican.com)view on HackerNews
mathematicsmultiplicationalgorithmscomputer scienceefficiencyspeed limitconjectureKaratsubaHarvey-van der HoevenO(n^2)O(n log n)

Author: beardyw

Date: 7/13/2026

Article Summary:
Mathematicians have been trying to find the fastest way to multiply numbers for centuries, and a 23-year-old student's discovery in 1960 led to a mystery that remains unsolved to this day.