How do congruences work in mod arithmetic?

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter mickles
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Confusion
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around understanding congruences in modular arithmetic, specifically how certain equivalences are derived in examples from a textbook. Participants explore the logical connections between numbers in congruences and how properties of congruences apply to arithmetic operations.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses confusion about how the book transitions from 19 to 3 in the context of congruences and seeks clarification on the logical connection.
  • Another participant explains the property of congruences that allows for the addition of a constant to both sides of an equivalence, providing a specific example with values a, b, c, and m.
  • A different participant reiterates the concept that any number A is congruent to A - N mod N, using this to clarify the connections between the numbers in the examples.
  • Some participants indicate that the explanations provided help them understand the concepts better.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the properties of congruences and how they apply to the examples discussed. However, initial confusion about the logical connections between specific numbers indicates that some uncertainty remains.

Contextual Notes

The discussion does not resolve all aspects of the participants' confusion, as some assumptions about the understanding of modular arithmetic may vary among them.

mickles
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Hi, this is not a homework problem, i just have a hard time following the sequence of this

In the book , it shows a couple examples

(=== is the triple equal sign)

1) 26=19+7===3+7===10(mod8)
2) 15=19-4===3-4=-1(mod8)
3)38 = 19*2===3*2=6(mod8)
4) 7===2(mod5), 343=7^3===2^3=8(mod5)

I understand mod8 and whatnot, just how does the book go from 19+7 to 3+7, and from 19-4 to 3-4. I just don't get how 19 and 3 are logically connected

I see how 15===-1(mod8) and 26===10(mod8) and 38=6(mod8).

Any help understanding is appreciated
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
The examples you cited are using the following property of congruences: If [itex]a \equiv b \pmod{m}[/itex], then [itex]a + c \equiv b + c \pmod{m}[/itex]. So, in your first example, let a = 19, b = 3, c = 7 and m = 8.

Does that help?
 
mickles said:
Hi, this is not a homework problem, i just have a hard time following the sequence of this

In the book , it shows a couple examples

(=== is the triple equal sign)

1) 26=19+7===3+7===10(mod8)
2) 15=19-4===3-4=-1(mod8)
3)38 = 19*2===3*2=6(mod8)
4) 7===2(mod5), 343=7^3===2^3=8(mod5)

I understand mod8 and whatnot, just how does the book go from 19+7 to 3+7, and from 19-4 to 3-4. I just don't get how 19 and 3 are logically connected

I see how 15===-1(mod8) and 26===10(mod8) and 38=6(mod8).

Any help understanding is appreciated
Any number A === A - N Mod N Thus 19 === 11 === 3 Mod 8, Therefore 19+7 === 3+7 and 19-4 === 3-4.
 
Petek said:
The examples you cited are using the following property of congruences: If [itex]a \equiv b \pmod{m}[/itex], then [itex]a + c \equiv b + c \pmod{m}[/itex]. So, in your first example, let a = 19, b = 3, c = 7 and m = 8.

Does that help?

Yes that makes a lot more sense now with a,b,c, and m after looking at the theorem.

Thanks for you help
 
ramsey2879 said:
Any number A === A - N Mod N Thus 19 === 11 === 3 Mod 8, Therefore 19+7 === 3+7 and 19-4 === 3-4.

thank you this also helped
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
3K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
3K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
1K
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 21 ·
Replies
21
Views
2K