MATHEMATICAL SYSTEMS

A. MODULO ARITHMETIC

In mathematics, modular arithmetic (sometimes called clock arithmetic) is a system of arithmetic for integers,
where numbers wrap around after they reach a certain value - the modulus.

There are 24 Hours in a Day, however, time is divided to two twelve hour periods.

Example:

22 Hours is 12 + 10, So it is TenO’clock!

Modulo Arithmetic

The Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler pioneered the modern approach to congruence in 1750, when he
explicitly introduced the idea of congruence modulo of a number N.

Modular arithmetic was further advanced by Carl Friedrich Gauss in his book published in 1801.

 Modulo n
Two integers a and b are said to be congruent modulo n, where n is a natural number,
a−b
If
n
Is an integer. In this case, we write a ≡ b mod n. The number n is called the modulus. The statement a ≡
b mod n is called a congruence.

Addition Modulo n

Evaluate: (23+38)mod 12

Solution

Add 23 and 38 to produce 61. Then divide the modulus, 12. The answer is the remainder.

61
= 5 remainder 1 The answer is 1.
12

Applications of Modular Arithmetic

 ISBN and UBC

 Every book that is cataloged in the Library of Congress must have an IBN (International Standard Book
Number). This 13-digit number was created to help ensures that orders for books are filled accurately
and that books are cataloged correctly.
 The first three digits of an ISBN are 978, the next digit indicates the country in which the publisher is
incorporated (0, and sometimes 1 for books written in English), the next two to seven digits indicates the
title of the book, and the last digit (the 13 th one) is called a check light.
 If we label the first digit of an ISBN d₁, the second digit d₂, and so on to the 13th digit d₁₃, then the check
digit is chosen to satisfy the following congruence.
 FORMULA FOR THE ISBN CHECK DIGIT
d₁₃ ≡ 10 – ( d₁ + 3d₂ + d₃ + 3d₄ + d₅ + 3d₆ + d₇ + 3d₈ + d₉ + 3d₁₀ + d₁₁ + 3d₁₂) mod 10
if d₁₃ = 10, then the check digit is 0.
 It is this check digit that is used to ensure accuracy. For instance, the ISBN for the fourth edition of the
American Heritage Dictionary is 978-0-395-83517-4. Suppose, however that a book store clerk sends an
 order for the American Heritage Dictionary and inadvertently enters the number 978-0-395-28517-4,
where the clerk transposed the 8 and 2 in the five numbers that identify the book.

Correct ISBN: 978-0-395-82517-4

Incorrect ISBN: 978-0-395-28597-4

The receiving clerk calculates the check digit.

(Determine the check digit for the book)

 Another coding scheme that is closely related to the ISBN and UPC ( Universal Product Code). This
number is placed on many items and is particularly useful in grocery stores.

 FORMULA FOR THE UPC CHECK DIGIT

d₁₃ = 10 – ( 3d₁ + d₂ 3d₃ + d₄ + 3d₅ + d₆ + 3d₇ + d₈ + 3d₉ + d₁₀ + 3d₁₁) mod 10
if d₁₂ = 10, then the check digit is 0.

CREDIT CARD NUMBERS

 Companies that issue credit card also use modular arithmetic to determine whether a credit card
number is valid. This is especially important in e-commerce, where credit card information is frequently
sent over the internet. The primary coding method is based on the LUHN ALGORITHM, which uses mod
10 arithmetic.
 Credit card numbers are normally 13 to 16 digits long. The first one to four digits are used to identify the
card issuer. The table below shows the identification prefixes used by popular card issuers.

CARD ISSUER PREFIXES NUMBER OF DIGITS

MasterCard 51 to 55 16
Visa 4 13 or 16
American Express 34 or 37 15
Discover 6011 16