Discrete Mathematics 2002 Lecture 38, 24-October-2002

Summary of Encryption
• Last 3 lectures – we’ve looked at the 2 basic
methods of encryption
• Secret key encryption: Sender & receiver have the
same key, used for both encryption & decryption
• Encryption & decryption algorithms are inverse
• Examples: Caesar’s & affine ciphers, DES
• Secret key algorithms are usually efficient (quick
to implement), so are good for long messages
• However, each pair of users needs a different key
– so management of the many keys is an issue
• Also, how does the sender securely inform the
receiver what the key is? 1

Public Key Encryption

• Public key encryption: Sender encrypts message
using receiver’s freely available public key
• The receiver decrypts the message using their
private key, which is given to noone else
• Encryption, decryption algorithms are not inverse
• Example: RSA
• Public key algorithms take time to implement, so
are not good for long messages (but are good for
short messages – e.g. credit card nos)
• Key management is not an issue, as a person can
communicate securely with all others with 2 keys
• Need to securely communicate keys doesn’t arise
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Combined Secret & Public Key

Encryption
• It is possible to use an encryption method that
combines the advantage of the secret key
algorithm (efficiency of encrypting & decrypting
messages) with that of the public key approach
(easy distribution of keys)
• In this method, the public key is used to encrypt
the secret key; the secret key is used to encrypt
the actual message
• The procedure is described on the following slide
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Discrete Mathematics 2002 Lecture 38, 24-October-2002

Combined Approach to Encryption

1. The sender chooses a secret key, which is called
the one-session key (it is used only once)
2. The sender uses the receiver’s public key to
encrypt the secret key, & sends it to the receiver.
Note that this message (i.e. the secret key) is
short, so is suitable for public key encryption.
3. The receiver uses their private key to decrypt the
secret key
4. The sender uses the secret key to encrypt the
actual message, then sends it to the receiver who
uses the same secret key (which they’ve received
securely) to decrypt it 4

Diagram of Combined Approach

(Diagram from Foundations of Computer Science by

Behrouz A. Forouzan, Brooks/Cole, 2003, p. 311)
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Discrete Mathematics Exam, 2002

• 3 hour exam (+ 15 mins reading time)
• Counts for 60% of result for Discrete Maths
– remaining marks are from the 2 tests (20%
each)
• To pass you need an overall mark of 50% or
more (there is no minimum requirement on
the exam)
• Tutorial attendance will be taken into
account for those just below 50%
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Discrete Mathematics 2002 Lecture 38, 24-October-2002

What can be Brought into the Exam?

• Exam timetable: You can bring ‘One A4 page of
handwritten notes (double sided)’ into the exam
• This means a single A4 sheet with handwritten
(not photocopied or printed) notes on both sides
• You can write anything on the paper (formulas,
definitions, examples, prayers, etc) in any size (as
long as you can read it with the naked eye)
• No other material (apart from writing
implements) is permitted
• In particular, no calculator is permitted!
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What Information will be Provided?

• At the end of the exam paper will be attached 2
sheets of paper containing:
– Truth table for the basic logical connectives
(i.e. ∧, ∨, →, ↔, ¬)
– Laws of logic
– Laws of sets
– Definitions associated with relations (reflexive,
irreflexive, symmetric, antisymmetric,
transitive, equivalence reln, partial order reln)
– Laws of Boolean algebra
• If you wish to see precisely what will be supplied,
visit the Discrete Maths Resources web page 8

What are the Topics of the

Questions?
• There will be 5 questions of equal value (20
marks each)
• Each question is subdivided into parts
• Topics of the questions are:
Q.1: Number Bases, Computer Representation
of Numbers
Q.2: Logic
Q.3: Sets, Relations
Q.4: Recursion, Cryptography
Q.5: Boolean Algebra, Digital Circuits 9

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Discrete Mathematics 2002 Lecture 38, 24-October-2002

Is Last Year’s Exam Relevant?

• Definitely!
• The 2001 exam provides a good guide to the
format and standard of the 2002 exam
• The only exception is that the topic of Trees in
2001 has been replaced by Cryptography in 2002
• So Q 4(d) in 2001 isn’t relevant for 2002
• A copy of the 2001 exam, with answers, can be
found at the Discrete Maths Resources web site
• For some practice questions on cryptography,
look at the ‘Tutorial Problems’ page at the
Discrete Maths Resources web site 10

How do you Prepare for the Exam?

• Use the text & lecture notes to gain an
understanding (reinforcement) of the main
concepts, ideas and techniques
• Work (rework) through examples & exercises
given in lectures, and the recommended
exercises that were set in tutorials
• Once revision is finished, work through the
2001 exam
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Is Help Available Before the Exam?

• Yes! – Just visit my office & see if I’m there
• Alternately, ring (5444 7265) or email
(S.Smith@bendigo.latrobe.edu.au) beforehand to
make an appointment
• Some statistics for Discrete Maths in 2001:
– 94 students sat for the 2001 exam
– the average (mean) exam mark was 52/100
– 49/94 (i.e. 52%) scored ≥ 50/100 on the exam
– 70/94 (i.e. 74%) passed Discrete Maths (not
counting a few who passed after a later supp)
– grades: 16 A’s, 16 B’s, 20 C’s, 18 D’s, 24 N’s
• Good luck in your exams!! 12