Give the solution to the following system of equations using modular arithmetic modulo 5:
4x+3y=0(mod5)
2x+y≡3(mod5)
I multiplied 2x+y≡3(mod5) by −2, getting −4x−2y≡−6(mod5).
−6(mod5)≡4(mod5)
Then I added the two equations:
4x+3y≡0(mod5)
−4x−2y≡4(mod5)
This simplifies to y≡4(mod5).
I then plug this into the first equation: 4x+3(4)=0(mod5)
Wrong work:
Thus, x=3.
But when I plug the values into the first equation, I get 2(3)+4≢.
What am I doing wrong?
EDIT:
Revised work:
x = -3 \pmod{5} = 2 \pmod{5}.
Now when I plug the values into the first equation, I get 2(2) + 4 \equiv 8 \pmod{5} \equiv 3 \pmod{5}.
Answer
Sign error on substitution, it should be x\equiv -3\pmod{5}.
You had 4x+(3)(4)\equiv 0, that is, 4(x+3)\equiv 0. From this we get x+3\equiv 0, so x\equiv -3\pmod{4}.
Negative numbers are sometimes troublesome, so we may wish to rewrite as x\equiv 2\pmod{5}.
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