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Congruence relation. In abstract algebra, a congruence relation (or simply congruence) is an equivalence relation on an algebraic structure (such as a group, ring, or vector space) that is compatible with the structure in the sense that algebraic operations done with equivalent elements will yield equivalent elements. [1]
The congruence relation is an equivalence relation. The equivalence class modulo m of an integer a is the set of all integers of the form a + k m, where k is any integer. It is called the congruence class or residue class of a modulo m, and may be denoted as (a mod m), or as a or [a] when the modulus m is known from the context.
For example, in modular arithmetic, for every integer m greater than 1, the congruence modulo m is an equivalence relation on the integers, for which two integers a and b are equivalent—in this case, one says congruent—if m divides ; this is denoted ().
The congruence relation, modulo m, partitions the set of integers into m congruence classes. Operations of addition and multiplication can be defined on these m objects in the following way: To either add or multiply two congruence classes, first pick a representative (in any way) from each class, then perform the usual operation for integers on the two representatives and finally take the ...
Important subgroups of the modular group Γ, called congruence subgroups, are given by imposing congruence relations on the associated matrices. There is a natural homomorphism SL(2, Z) → SL(2, Z/NZ) given by reducing the entries modulo N. This induces a homomorphism on the modular group PSL(2, Z) → PSL(2, Z/NZ).
A congruence relation is an equivalence relation whose domain is also the underlying set for an algebraic structure, and which respects the additional structure. In general, congruence relations play the role of kernels of homomorphisms, and the quotient of a structure by a congruence relation can be formed.
In ring-theoretic language, b is a unit in the ring / of integers modulo a. Every pair of congruence relations for an unknown integer x, of the form x ≡ k (mod a) and x ≡ m (mod b), has a solution (Chinese remainder theorem); in fact the solutions are described by a single congruence relation modulo ab.
In mathematics, a quotient algebra is the result of partitioning the elements of an algebraic structure using a congruence relation. Quotient algebras are also called factor algebras. Here, the congruence relation must be an equivalence relation that is additionally compatible with all the operations of the algebra, in the formal sense ...