an small question about RSA algorithm

zetafunction

on the RSA algorithm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSA

why simply we can not choose e=1 or e=2 ??? it would simplify the calculations a lot.

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Does'nt that go against the purpose of the RSA?

edit: shady comma

adriank

If e = 1, then the ciphertext is the same as the plaintext, making the algorithm useless.

It's required that e is coprime to φ(n) = (p - 1)(q - 1), so that there exists d such that ed = 1 mod φ(n). However, if p and q are distinct primes, then one of them is odd, so φ(n) is even. Thus e can't be 2.

zetafunction

thanks a lot adriank , nice forum