Quantum Computing For Dummies

Chapter 13

Quantum Computing Applications

IN THIS CHAPTER

Cracking — and protecting — codes

Searching at super speed

Finding new pharmaceuticals

The entire advantage of quantum computing is that it will execute certain specific computer algorithms much, much faster than the classical computers that people use today. We describe some of the key algorithms in the next chapter.

But even without diving into the details, we can describe the types of things that quantum computing will be very, very good at. And we can give a general idea as to which of these improvements might be available sooner rather than later.

So this chapter describes the application areas where quantum computing will make a difference. The next chapter describes several algorithms that will help drive quantum computing forward in the years ahead.

Thinking in Triplicate

There are three broad categories of quantum computing applications. It’s useful to examine each task you’re trying to accomplish from all three of these viewpoints. Applying quantum computing to real-world problems is a creative task, especially in these early days, and using multiple viewpoints can only be helpful.

Here are the three approaches: ...