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Mathematics in the
Modern World
(GE 104)

Module #7

GLENN GREG B. SIMON, LPT, MAT

Course Facilitator

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Module Title: Mathematical Systems

Course Code: GE 104

Course Title: Mathematics in the Modern World

Course Description:

This course deals with the nature of mathematics, appreciation of its practical, intellectual,
and aesthetics dimensions, and application of mathematical tools in daily life.
The course begins with an introduction to the nature of mathematics as an exploration of
patterns (in nature and in environment) and as an application of inductive and deductive reasoning.
By exploring these topics, students are encouraged to go beyond the typical understanding of
mathematics as merely a bunch of formulas but as a source of aesthetics in patterns of nature, for
example, and rich language in itself (and of Science) governed bylogic and reasoning.
The course then proceeds to survey ways in which mathematics provides a tool for
understanding and dealing with various aspects of present day living, such as managing personal
finances, making social choices, appreciating geometric designs, understandingcodes used in data
transmission and security, and dividing limited resources fairly. These aspects will provide
opportunities for actually doing mathematics in a broad range of exercises that bring out the various
dimensions of mathematics as a way of knowing, and test the students’ understanding and capacity.

Total Learning Time: 3hrs per week for 18 weeks

Pre-requisites:

None Learning

Outcomes:

At the end of the course, the students/participants would be able to:

1. Distinguish modular arithmetic;
2. Perform the operations of modular arithmetic;
3. Appreciate the nature and uses of mathematics in everyday life.
4. Affirm honesty and integrity in the application of mathematics to various human endeavors.

Indicative Content:

MATHEMATICAL SYSTEMS
 Modular Arithmetic
 Application of Modular Arithmetic
 Cryptology

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Discussion:
Introduction to Modular Arithmetic
Many clocks have the familiar 12-hour design. We designate whether the time is before
noon or after noon by using the abbreviations A.M and P.M. A reference to 7:00 A.M means 7
hours after 12:00 midnight; a reference to 7:00 P.M means 7 hours after 12:00 noon. In both
cases, once 12 is reached on the clock, we begin again with 1.
If we want to determine a time in the future or in the past, it is necessary to consider
whether we have passed 12 o’clock. To determine the time 8 hours after 3 o’clock, we add 3 and
8. Because we did not pass 12 o’clock, the time is 11 o’clock (Figure 7.1A). However, to
determine the time 8 hours after 9o’clock, we must take into consideration that once we have
passed 12 o’clock, we begin again with 1.
Therefore, 8 hours after 9 o’clock is 5 o’clock, as shown in Figure 7.1B.
We will use the symbol to denote addition on a 12- hour clock. Using this
notation, 3 8 = 11 and 9 8=5
on a 12-hour clock.
We can also perform subtraction on a 12-hour clock. If the time now is 10 o’clock, then
7 hours ago the time was 3 o’clock, which is the difference between 10 and 7 (10 – 7 = 3).
However, if the time is 3 o’clock, then using Figure 7.2, we see that 7 hours ago it was 8 o’clock.
If we use the symbol to
denote subtraction on a 12-hour clock, we can write
10 7 = 3 and 3 7 = 8.

FIGURE 7.1A FIGURE 7.1B FIGURE 7.2

Example 1.
Evaluate each of the following where and indicate addition and
subtraction, respectively, on a 12-hour clock.
a. 8 7 b. 7 12 c. 8 11 d. 2 8
Solution:

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a. 87=3 b. 7 12 = 7 c. 8 11 = 9
d. 28=6

A similar example involves day-of-the-week arithmetic. If Monday = 1

we associate each day of the week with a number, as shown at the Tuesday = 2
left, then 6 days after Friday is Thursday and 16 days after Wednesday = 3
Monday is Wednesday. Symbolically, we write Thursday = 4
5 6 = 4 and 1 16=3 Friday = 5
Saturday = 6
Note: We are using the symbol for days-of-the-week Sunday = 7
arithmetic to differentiate from note symbol for the clock
arithmetic.
Another way to determine the day of the week is to note that
when the sum 5 + 6 = 11 is divided 7, the number of days in a week, the remainder is 4. The
number associated with Thursday. When 1 + 16 = 17 is divided by 7, the remainder is 3, the
number associated with Wednesday. This works because the days of the week repeat every 7
days.
The same method can be applied to 12-hour clock arithmetic. From Example 1a,
8+7 = 15 is divided by 12, the number of hours on a 12-hour clock, the remainder is 3, the
time 7 hours after 8 o’clock.
Situations such as these that repeat in cycles are represented mathematically by using
modular arithmetic, or arithmetic modulo n.

Modulo n
𝑎−𝑏
Two integers a and b are said to be congruent modulo n, where n is a natural number, 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.
Example:
Determine whether the congruence is true.
b. 29 ≡ 8 mod 3
c. 15 ≡ a mod 6
Solution:

29−8 21
a. = =7 .Because 7 is an integer, 29 = 8 mod 3 is true congruence
3 3

15−4 11 11
b. = . Because is not an integer, 15=6 mod 6 is not true.
6 6 6

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Now suppose today is Friday. To determine the day of the week 16 days from now, we
observe that 14 days from now the day will be Friday, so 16 days from now the day will be
Sunday. Note that the remainder when 16 is divided by 7 is 2, or, using modular notation, 16 = 2
mod 7. The signifies 2 days after Friday, which is Sunday.

Example:
July 4, 2017, was a Tuesday. What day of the week is July 4, 2022?
Solution
There are 5 years between the two dates. Each year has 365 days except 2020, which has one
extra daybecause it is leap year. So, the total number of days between the two dates is (5 x
365) +1 = 1826.
Because 1826 / 7 = 260 remainder 6, 1826 ≡ 6 mod 7. Any multiple of 7 days past a given day
will be the same day of the week. So the day of the week 1826 days after July 4, 2017, will be
the same as the same as the day 6 days after July 4, 2017. Thus July 4, 2022, will be a Monday.
How to calculate Leap Year
Leap Years are any year that can be exactly divided by 4 (such as 2016, 2020,
2024, etc.) except if it can be exactly divided by 100, then it isn't (such as 2100,
2200, etc.)
except if it can be exactly divided by 400, then it is (such as 2000, 2400)
These leap year rules were introduced in 1582 by the Gregorian Calendar, named
after Pope Gregory XIII.
(It replaced the old Julian Calendar by Julius Caesar that only has one rule of a leap year every
4th year, and is now about 13 days behind our current date.)
Arithmetic Operations Modulo n
Arithmetic modulo n (where n is a natural number) requires us to evaluate a modular
expression after using the standard rules of arithmetic. Thus, we perform the arithmetic operation
and then divide by the modulus. The answer is the remainder. The result of an arithmetic
operation mod n is always a whole number less than n.
Addition Modulo n
Example:
Evaluate: (23 + 38) mod 12
Solution:
Add 23 + 38 to produce 61. To evaluate 61 mod 12, divide 61 by the modulus, the answer is
the remainder.

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Subtraction Modulo n
Evaluate each of the following.
a. (33-16) mod 6 b. (14-27) mod 5
Solution
a. Subtract 33 – 16 = 17. The result is positive. Divide the difference by the modulus, 6. The
answer is the remainder

Example:

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Multiplication Modulo n
Evaluate (15 * 23) mod 11
Solution:
Find the product 15 * 23 and then divide by the modulus, 11. The answer is the remainder

APPLICATIONS OF MODULAR ARITHMETIC

ISBN AND UPC
Every book that is cataloged in the Library of Congress must have an ISBN
(International Standard Book Number). This 13-digit number was created to help ensure that
orders for books are filled accurately and that books are catalogued correctly.
The first three digits of an ISBN are 978 (or 979), followed by 9 digits that are divided
into three groups of various lengths. These indicate the country or region, the publisher, and the
title of the book. The last digit (the 13th one) is called a check digit.
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 given by the following modular formula.
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 editionof the American Heritage Dictionary is 987-0-395-82517-4. Suppose, however,
that a bookstore 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: 978-0-395-517-4
The receiving clerk calculates the check digit as follows.
d13 = 10 - [9 + 3(7) + 8 + 3(0) + 3 + 3(9) + 5 + 3(2) + 8 + 3(5) + 1 + 3(7)] mod 10
= 10 – 124 mod 10
= 10 - 4 = 6
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Because the check digit is 6 and not 4 as it should be, the receiving clerk knows that an
incorrect ISBN has been sent. Transposition errors are among the most frequent errors that occur.
The ISBN coding system will catch most of them.

Example
Determine the ISBN check digit for the book. The Equation that couldn’t Be Solved
by Mario Livio. The first 12 digits of the ISBN are 978-0-7432-5820-?
solution
d13 = 10 – 19 [9 + 3(7) + 8 + 3 (0) + 7 + 3(4) + 3 + (3)2 + 5 + 3(8) +2 + 3(0)] mod 10
= 10 – 97 mod 10
= 10 – 7 = 3
The check digit is 3.

Another coding scheme that is closely related to the ISBN is the UPC (universal Product Code).
This number is placed on many items and is particularly useful in grocery stores. A check-out
clerk passes the product by a scanner, which reads the numbers from a bar code and records the
price on the cash register. If the price of an item changes for a promotional sale, the price is
updated in the computer, thereby relieving the clerk of having to reprice each item. In addition
to pricing items, the UPC gives the store manager accurate information about inventory and the
buying habits of the store’s customers.
The UPC is a 12-digit number that satisfies a modular equation that is similar to the one
for ISBNs. The last digit is check digit. If we label the 12 digits of the UPC as d 1, d2, ….d12, we
can write the formula for the UPC check digit d12.

Formula for the UPC Check Digit

D12 = 10 – (3d1 + d2 + 3d3 + d4 + 3d5 + d6 + 3d7 + d8 + 3d9 + d10 + 3d11 ) mod 10
If d12 = 10, then check digit is 0.

Example
Find the check digit for the UPC of the Blu-ray Disc release of the film Jurassic World. The first
11 digits are 0-25192-21221-?
Solution
D12 = 10 – [3(0) +2 + 3(5) + 1 + 3(9) + 2 + 3(2) + 1 + 3(2) + 2 + 3(1)] mod 10
= 10 – 65 mod 10
= 10 – 5 = 5
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The check digit is 5.

The ISBN and UPC coding systems will normally catch transposition errors. There are
instances, however, when they do not.

The UPC for Crisco Puritan Canola Oil with Omega – DHA is 0-51500-24275-9
Suppose, however, that the product code is written 0-51500-24275-9, where the 2 and 7
have beentransposed calculating the check digit, we have
D12 = 10 – [3(0) + 5 + 3(1) + 5 + 3(0) +0 + 3(2) + 4 + 3(7) +2 +3(5)] mod 10
= 10 – 61 mod 10
= 10 – 1 = 9
The same check digit is calculated, yet the UPC has been entered incorrectly. This was an
unfortunate coincidence; if any other two digits were transposed, the result would have given a
different check digit and the error would have been caught. It can be shown that the ISBN and
UPC coding methods will not catch a transposition error of adjacent digits a and b if │a- b │=
5, for the canola oil UPC, │7- 2 │= 5.

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 six digits are used to
identify the card issuer. The table below shows some of the identification prefixes used by four
popular card issuers.

Card Issuer Prefix Number of

digits
Master 51 to 55 16
Card
Visa 4 13 or 16
American 34 or 37 15
Express
Discover 6011 16

The Luhm algorithm, used to determine whether a credit card number is valid, is calculated as
follows: beginning with the next-to-last digit (the last digit is the check digit) and reading from

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left, double every other digit. If a digit becomes a two-digit number after being doubled, treat the
number as two individual digits. Now find the sum of the new list of digits; the final sum must
be congruent to 0 mod 10. The Luhn algorithm is demonstrated in the next example.

Example
Determine whether 5234 8213 3410 1298 is a valid credit card number.

Solution
Highlight every other digit, beginning with the next-to-last digit and reading from right to left.
5234821334101298
Next doubled each of the highlighted digits.
10 2 6 4 16 2 2 3 6 4 2 0 2 2 18 8
Finally, add all digits, treating two-digit numbers as two single digits.
(1+0) + 2 + 6 + 4 + (1 + 6) + 2 + 2 + 3 + 6 + 4 + 2 + 0 + 2 + 2 + (1 + 8) + 8 = 60
Because 60 = 0 mod 10, this is a valid credit card number.

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ASSESSMENT:
1. Evaluate each of the following using a 12-hour clock
a. 6 10 b. 5 9 c. 7 11 d. 5 10

2. Determine whether the congruence is true. Show your

proof.
a. 7 ≡ 12 mod 5
b. 15 ≡ 1 mod 8
c. 33 ≡ 49 mod 4
3. In 2016, Abraham Lincoln’s birthday fell on Friday, February 12. On what day of the
week does Lincoln’s birthday fall in 2025?

4. Evaluate (51 + 72) mod 3

5. Evaluate (33 – 16) mod 6

6. Evaluate (12 – 27) mod 5

7. Evaluate (12 * 23) mod 11

8. A purchase order for the book The Mathematical Tourist by Ivars Peterson includes the
ISBN 978-0-7816-73250-5. Determine whether this is a valid ISBN.
9. Is I-32342-65933-9 a valid UPC?
10. Is 6011 0123 9145 2317 a valid credit card number?

Additional Readings:

What is Modular Arithmetic

https://www.khanacademy.org/computing/computer-science/cryptography/modarithmetic/a/what-is-
modular-arithmetic

Reference:
Daligdig, R.,M, (2019)Mathematics in the Modern World, Lorimar Publishing Inc.,
Manila, Philippines
Mathematics in the Modern World (2018) Cengage Learning, Rex Book Store, Manila,
Philippines

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