modular arithmetic

noun

1. arithmetic in which numbers that are congruent modulo a given number are treated as the same. Compare congruence ( def 3 ), modulo, modulus ( def 2b ).

Word History and Origins

Origin of modular arithmetic¹

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

If you’ve worked with modular arithmetic, this might be feeling sort of familiar.

From Scientific American

For example, in modular arithmetic, also called clock arithmetic, you have a modulus—say, 12—and when you add or multiply two numbers, you look at the remainder when you divide by the modulus.

From Scientific American

If you start playing with it a little bit, you’ll find the mod 12 system familiar: modular arithmetic is sometimes called clock arithmetic because 10:00 plus 1 hour is the same number on the clock as 10:00 plus 13 hours or 10:00 plus 25 hours.

From Scientific American

The icing on the cake was spending part of last Saturday morning with my spouse and a tough little modular arithmetic problem.

From Scientific American

We started the course with modular arithmetic, the foundation of number theory.

From Scientific American