The Chinese Remainder Theorem

First define: z1 = m / m1 = m2m3m4

z2 = m / m2 = m1m3m4
Chinese Remainder Theorem: If m1, m2, .., mk are pairwise relatively z3 = m / m3 = m1m2m4
prime positive integers, and if a1, a2, .., ak are any integers, then the z4 = m / m4 = m1m2m3
simultaneous congruences
x  a1 (mod m1), x  a2 (mod m2), ..., x  ak (mod mk) Note that
have a solution, and the solution is unique modulo m, where i) z1  0 (mod mj) for j = 2, 3, 4.
m = m1m2 mk . ii) gcd( z1, m1) = 1. (If a prime p dividing m1 also divides
z1= m2m3m4, then p divides m2, m3, or m4.)
and likewise for z2, z3, z4.
Proof that a solution exists: To keep the notation simpler, we will
assume k = 4. Note the proof is constructive, i.e., it shows us how to
actually construct a solution. Next define: y1  z 1–1 (mod m1)
y2  z2–1 (mod m2)
Our simultaneous congruences are y3  z3–1 (mod m3)
x  a1 (mod m1), x  a2 (mod m2), x  a3 (mod m3), x  a4 (mod m4). y4  z 4–1 (mod m )4
The inverses exist by (ii) above, and we can find them by Euclid’s
Our goal is to find integers w1, w2, w3, w4 such that: extended algorithm. Note that
value value value value iii) y1z1  0 (mod mj) for j = 2, 3, 4. (Recall z1  0 (mod mj) )
mod m1 mod m2 mod m3 mod m4 iv) y1z1  1 (mod m1)
w1 1 0 0 0 and likewise for y2z2, y3z3, y4z4.
w2 0 1 0 0
w3 0 0 1 0
w4 0 0 0 1 Lastly define: w1  y1z1 (mod m)
w2  y2z2 (mod m)
Once we have found w1, w2, w3, w4, it is easy to construct x: w3  y3z3 (mod m)
x = a1w1 + a2w2 + a3w3 + a4w4. w4  y4z4 (mod m)
Moreover, as long as the moduli (m1, m2, m3, m4) remain the same, we Then w1, w2, w3, and w4 have the properties in the table on the
can use the same w1, w2, w3, w4 with any a1, a2, a3, a4. previous page.
Example: Solve the simultaneous congruences ) Example: Find all solutions of x2  1 (mod 144).
x  6 (mod 11), x  13 (mod 16), x  9 (mod 21), x  19 (mod 25).
Solution: 144 = 16  9 = 2432, and gcd(16,9) = 1.
Solution: Since 11, 16, 21, and 25 are pairwise relatively prime, the We can replace our congruence by two simultaneous congruences:
Chinese Remainder Theorem tells us that there is a unique solution x2  1 (mod 16) and x2  1 (mod 9)
modulo m, where m = 11162125 = 92400.
x2  1 (mod 16) has 4 solutions: x  1 or 7 (mod 16)
We apply the technique of the Chinese Remainder Theorem with
x2  1 (mod 9) has 2 solutions: x  1 (mod 9)
k = 4, m1 = 11, m2 = 16, m3 = 21, m4 = 25,
a1 = 6, a2 = 13, a3 = 9, a4 = 19, There are 8 alternatives: i) x  1 (mod 16) and x  1 (mod 9)
to obtain the solution. ii) x  1 (mod 16) and x  –1 (mod 9)
iii) x  –1 (mod 16) and x  1 (mod 9)
We compute iv) x  –1 (mod 16) and x  –1 (mod 9)
z1 = m / m1 = m2m3m4 = 16  21  25 = 8400 v) x  7 (mod 16) and x  1 (mod 9)
z2 = m / m2 = m1m3m4 = 11  21  25 = 5775 vi) x  7 (mod 16) and x  –1 (mod 9)
z3 = m / m3 = m1m2m4 = 11  16  25 = 4400 vii) x  –7 (mod 16) and x  1 (mod 9)
z4 = m / m4 = m1m3m3 = 11  16  21 = 3696 viii) x  –7 (mod 16) and x  –1 (mod 9)
y1  z –1 (mod m )  8400–1 (mod 11)  7–1 (mod 11)  8 (mod 11) By the Chinese Remainder Theorem with k = 2, m = 16 and m = 9, each
1 1 1 2
y2  z 2–1 (mod m2)  5775–1 (mod 16)  15–1 (mod 16)  15 (mod 16) case above has a unique solution for x modulo 144.
y3  z 3–1 (mod m3)  4400–1 (mod 21)  11–1 (mod 21)  2 (mod 21)
We compute: z1 = m2 = 9, z2 = m1 = 16,
y4  z 4–1 (mod m4)  3696–1 (mod 25)  21–1 (mod 25)  6 (mod 25)
y1  9–1  9 (mod 16), y2  16–1  4 (mod 9),
w1  y1z1 (mod m)  88400 (mod 92400)  67200 (mod 92400) w1  9  9 = 81 (mod 144), w2  16  4  64 (mod 144).
w2  y2z2 (mod m)  155775 (mod 92400)  86625 (mod 92400)
The 8 solutions are:
w3  y3z3 (mod m)  24400 (mod 92400)  8800 (mod 92400)
w4  y4z4 (mod m)  63696 (mod 92400)  22176 (mod 92400) i) x  1  81 + 1  64  145  1 (mod 144)
ii) x  1  81 + (–1)  64  17  17 (mod 144)
The solution, which is unique modulo 92400, is iii) x  (–1)  81 + 1  64  –17  –17 (mod 144)
iv) x  (–1)  81 + (–1)  64  –145  –1 (mod 144)
x  a1w1 + a2w2 + a3w3 + a4w4 (mod 92400) v) x  7  81 + 1  64  631  55 (mod 144)
 6  67200 + 13  86625 + 9  8800 + 19  22176 (mod 92400) vi) x  7  81 + (–1)  64  503  71 (mod 144)
 2029869 (mod 92400) vii) x  (–7)  81 + 1  64  –503  –71 (mod 144)
 51669 (mod 92400) viii) x  (–7)  81 + (–1)  64  –603  –55 (mod 144)