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Reference.org
Lehmer's GCD algorithm
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<p>Lehmer's GCD algorithm, named after <a href="/facts/Derrick_Henry_Lehmer/EI61SICa">Derrick Henry Lehmer</a>, is a fast <a href="/facts/Greatest_common_divisor/kNFvBuKl">GCD</a> <a href="/facts/Algorithm/fnl5NmRt">algorithm</a>, an improvement on the simpler but slower <a href="/facts/Euclidean_algorithm/wApql29c">Euclidean algorithm</a>. It is mainly used for big integers that have a representation as a string of digits relative to some chosen numeral system <a href="/facts/Radix/J5RGWRJF">base</a>, say <i>β</i> = 1000 or <i>β</i> = 232. </p>