sieve of eratosthenes: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
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Quick answer
What does “sieve of eratosthenes” mean?
An ancient algorithm for finding all prime numbers up to a specified integer by iteratively marking the multiples of each prime starting from 2.
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Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An ancient algorithm for finding all prime numbers up to a specified integer by iteratively marking the multiples of each prime starting from 2.
A mathematical procedure that systematically eliminates composite numbers, leaving only primes; often used as an introductory example in computer science and number theory.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences; both use identical terminology.
Connotations
Identical technical/mathematical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in both UK and US academic/technical contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “sieve of eratosthenes” in a Sentence
[Subject] implements the sieve of Eratosthenes to find primes.The sieve of Eratosthenes [verb] efficiently.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sieve of eratosthenes” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- We'll sieve the numbers using Eratosthenes' method.
- The program sieves through integers efficiently.
American English
- Let's sieve the data using the Eratosthenes algorithm.
- The code sieves out composite numbers.
adverb
British English
- The numbers were filtered Eratosthenes-style.
- It operates sieve-efficiently.
American English
- We processed the data sieve-fashion.
- It runs in Eratosthenes-manner.
adjective
British English
- The Eratosthenean approach is quite elegant.
- This is a sieve-based method.
American English
- The Eratosthenes sieve method is classic.
- We used a sieve-like algorithm.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in mathematics, computer science, and number theory courses.
Everyday
Extremely rare outside educational contexts.
Technical
Common in programming tutorials, algorithm discussions, and mathematical literature.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sieve of eratosthenes”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “sieve of eratosthenes”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sieve of eratosthenes”
- Misspelling 'Eratosthenes' (common errors: Eratosthenes, Eratostenes).
- Using lowercase 'e' in 'Eratosthenes'.
- Omitting 'of' (incorrect: 'sieve Eratosthenes').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Eratosthenes was a Greek mathematician, geographer, and astronomer who lived in the 3rd century BCE, best known for calculating the Earth's circumference and developing this prime number algorithm.
Yes, primarily as an educational tool in computer science and mathematics, and as a basis for more advanced prime-finding algorithms in computational number theory.
The classical implementation has O(n log log n) time complexity, making it more efficient than trial division for finding all primes up to n.
Not efficiently for individual large primes; it's designed to find all primes up to a limit, and memory constraints make it impractical for extremely large ranges where specialized primality tests are preferred.
An ancient algorithm for finding all prime numbers up to a specified integer by iteratively marking the multiples of each prime starting from 2.
Sieve of eratosthenes is usually technical/academic in register.
Sieve of eratosthenes: in British English it is pronounced /sɪv əv ˌɛrəˈtɒsθəniːz/, and in American English it is pronounced /sɪv əv ˌɛrəˈtɑːsθəniːz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Remember: Sift Out Every Prime, Eliminating Non-Primes Totally - Eratosthenes' Handy Numerical Extraction System.
Conceptual Metaphor
A filtering/sifting process (like a kitchen sieve separating flour from lumps).
Practice
Quiz
What does the sieve of Eratosthenes specifically identify?