Congruence

True or False: (give reason)
_ __
2 ∈ 18 (mod 8)

Can someone please help with this problem? I'm confused. . . Thanks for any helpful replies.

The definition of congruence is when

(b-a)/m is an integer, then we can write
a ≡ b (mod m).

For example, we can write
3 ≡ 15 (mod 4)
because (15-3)/4 = 3 is an integer.
Alternatively, 15/4 gives 3 as a remainder, but this latter case is not always true.

Would this be sufficient for you to solve the given problem?

So, this would read as :

_ __
2 = 18 (mod 8)

Meaning this would be considered true, right?Because 18/8 = 2, and then 8 · 2 = 16, making the remainder 2.

This might sound silly, but what does the symbol at the top of the number mean?
_
2

Sorry, I do not know.

I have seen the overbar used to mean:
1. mean (average) value,
2. recurring decimals,
3. complement (of a set)
4. complex conjugate
but not in this case.

You may want to check with your teacher. If it is in a computer generated exercise, there is usually a legend page into which you can look.

2 ∈ 18 (mod 8)

It is true though, right?

2 ∈ 18 (mod 8)

is not true, because ∈ is an operator for sets. For example:
2∈ℝ is correct, because 2 is a member of the real numbers.

Since 18 is not a set which includes 2, the above statement is not correct.

However, if you meant
2 ≡ 18 (mod 8)
that would be correct.
The code for ≡ is & # 8 8 0 1 ; without the spaces between & and ;.

Hmmm...I kind of get what you are saying, but why is 18 not a set that does not include 2?

Here is an example in the book that is true:
_
55 ∈ 7 (mod 3)

_
7 (the line goes over 7 in the above)

Why would this be considered true?

Could you tell me if I am correct in thinking:

• With respect to congruence mod 29, 17 ∩ 423 = ∅ (True)

• Let a, b, and n be integers with n > 1. Then a ≡ b (mod n) ⇔ a = b (False)

•If ac ≡ bc(mod n), and gcd(c, n) = 1, then a ≡ b(mod m) (True)

I'll get back to the last three proposition. But could you check in your book what the overbar stands for? It does not seem to be a typo at all.

I think I found something about the overbar

_
a <--- equivalence class of a

_
b <---equivalence class of b

Let a, b, and n be integers with n > 1. Then a ≡ b (mod n) ⇔ a = b (False)

Correct.
Note that:
a=b => a≡b(mod n) but not the other way round.

For the other part:
ac≡bc (mod n)
=> (bc-ac)=kn k∈ℤ
=> (b-a)c=kn
=> (b-a)=k'n (GCD(c,n)=1)
=> b≡a (mod n)
(true)