The Math Trick Hidden in Your Credit Card Number
Posted3 months agoActive3 months ago
scientificamerican.comTechstory
calmpositive
Debate
20/100
Luhn AlgorithmCredit Card SecurityAlgorithmic Thinking
Key topics
Luhn Algorithm
Credit Card Security
Algorithmic Thinking
The article explains the Luhn algorithm, a simple mathematical formula used to validate credit card numbers, sparking discussion on its significance and limitations.
Snapshot generated from the HN discussion
Discussion Activity
Light discussionFirst comment
42m
Peak period
2
2-3h
Avg / period
1.5
Key moments
- 01Story posted
Oct 20, 2025 at 9:24 AM EDT
3 months ago
Step 01 - 02First comment
Oct 20, 2025 at 10:06 AM EDT
42m after posting
Step 02 - 03Peak activity
2 comments in 2-3h
Hottest window of the conversation
Step 03 - 04Latest activity
Oct 20, 2025 at 11:39 AM EDT
3 months ago
Step 04
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Analyzing up to 500 comments to identify key contributors and discussion patterns
ID: 45643627Type: storyLast synced: 11/17/2025, 9:06:45 AM
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I did credit card processing 20 years ago - AmEx was very often the fly in the ointment.