What are scientists inputting into a quantum computer and what are they getting out of it? I don’t understand what it’s ‘calculating’?
In: Mathematics
All computers are based on a type of mechanics. We currently have two type of mechanics to make computers with:
* **Classical mechanics** which we can use to create “boolean logic” computers; your every day computer. Although we normally make a computer with chips, this is still equivalent to a computer with moving parts.
* Data: The smallest variable is a “bit” which is true or false (1 or 0).
* Processing: With boolean logic building blocks you can combine it to a computer which can process data.
* **Quantum mechanics** which we can use to create “quantum logic” computers.
* Data: Represented by a **q**ubit which is, as long as you are not looking, not confined to being true or false. The “value” of a qubit can be seen as the position on a sphere (3d). But when you look, it collapses to the top of the sphere (true) or the bottom (false), whichever is closer (statistically).
* Processing: This is more complicated, but remember that we don’t look at the qubits before we are done…
* The quantum operators allow the qubit value to be “changed” (e.g. you rotate the position, move up or down). An operator can use more than one qubit input. A number of operators combined can be seen as an algorithm.
* It all seems “too simplistic” to be able to do something, but the funny thing is that with a few operators you can create algorithms which *converge* the qubits to the solution (i.e. “search”). You need to run these algorithms a few times to get a reliable answer (but that is pretty quick, so no problem).
* Practical limitations are the number of qubits and the connectivity between qubits (placing random operators between large amounts of qubits is still a challenge I believe). This makes it suitable for specific problems (smaller inputs, large problem space, small output).
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