<p>A) For each hierarchical deterministic account path ~2 (if detached) to ~4 (if not detached) billion private keys and associated public addresses can be synthesized.  If <a href="https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0044.mediawiki#path-levels" rel="noreferrer"><strong>BIP 44</strong></a> technology is applied to HD wallets.  The same wallet can manage multiple cryptocurrencies, see this <a href="https://github.com/satoshilabs/slips/blob/master/slip-0044.md#registered-coin-types" rel="noreferrer"><strong>table</strong></a>. </p>

<p>B) Take a look <a href="https://github.com/libbitcoin/libbitcoin/wiki/Altcoin-Version-Mappings#7-bitcoin-btc-bip-3944-technology-examples" rel="noreferrer"><strong>here</strong></a> that concisely shows how to recover private keys and addresses for multiple cryptocurrencies using the BIP 39 seed words found <a href="https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0039/bip-0039-wordlists.md#wordlists" rel="noreferrer"><strong>here</strong></a>   </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-16T23:46:15.290Z
2017-08-16T23:46:15.290Z
skaht
<p>I understand that the Ledger Nano S allows one to create a 24 word recovery phrase.</p>

<p>A) Why is it better to have users keep a 24 word recovery phase as backup than to keep the public and private key as backup?</p>

<p>B) How does Ledger decode the recovery phrase into a public and private key?</p>

<recover-private-key>
How can 24 words allow a user to recover a public and private key?
user1283776
# How can 24 words allow a user to recover a public and private key?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-08-16)

I understand that the Ledger Nano S allows one to create a 24 word recovery phrase.

A) Why is it better to have users keep a 24 word recovery phase as backup than to keep the public and private key as backup?

B) How does Ledger decode the recovery phrase into a public and private key?

**Tags:** recover-private-key


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-08-16. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

A) For each hierarchical deterministic account path ~2 (if detached) to ~4 (if not detached) billion private keys and associated public addresses can be synthesized. If [**BIP 44**](https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0044.mediawiki#path-levels) technology is applied to HD wallets. The same wallet can manage multiple cryptocurrencies, see this [**table**](https://github.com/satoshilabs/slips/blob/master/slip-0044.md#registered-coin-types).

B) Take a look [**here**](https://github.com/libbitcoin/libbitcoin/wiki/Altcoin-Version-Mappings#7-bitcoin-btc-bip-3944-technology-examples) that concisely shows how to recover private keys and addresses for multiple cryptocurrencies using the BIP 39 seed words found [**here**](https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0039/bip-0039-wordlists.md#wordlists)


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