What math puzzle do miners actually solve? In this post we will try to break down, in simpler terms, the mechanism of blockchain and bitcoin.
The PoW algorithm works by requiring nodes (commonly known as miners) to solve a complex mathematical puzzle to validate a block of transactions
You can think of this cryptographic puzzle as trying to find the code of a lock. There are no shortcuts possible when trying to find the code which unlocks it.
The puzzle is finding the random number that, when added to the block's header, generates a hash with a target number of leading zeros.
The mining process involves forming blocks from transactions, solving cryptographic puzzles, and adding blocks to the blockchain for rewards.
The “puzzle” that is solved to mine bitcoin is simply a hash calculation on a series of open transactions, an arbitrary nonce value, and the