Example: Integer Multiplication
• Want to multiply two large
numbers, each of size n
• Using traditional algorithm,
T(n) = O(n2)
• Idea: break each number
into two pieces
A2(n/2) + B and
C2(n/2) + D
• The result of multiplication is
AC2n + (AD+BC)2(n/2) + BD
• Now we accomplish our
multiply of size n by doing 4
multiplies of size (n/2)
• Recurrence
T(n) = 4T(n/2) + n
and T(1) = 1
• This can be solved to show
T(n) = O(n2)
Wait a minute!  This isn’t any
better than the method we
learned in 3rd grade
CS409 - Spring 2000
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