Historical development of the Chinese Remainder Theorem (Q1202991): Difference between revisions

The paper is a survey of the main works on the Chinese Remainder Theorem, which owes its name to the fact that the first general algorithm for solving simultaneous congruences was given by the Chinese mathematician Qin Jiushao in 1247. After stating that the problem is derived from calendrical calculations' needs, the author mentions texts from different civilisations, at different time periods, in chronological order: Master Sun's Mathematical Manual (China, 3rd century A. D.) gave a numerical example of a solution. The Kuttaka, a method for solving \(ax+c=by\), with \(a>b\), \((a,b)=1\), \(x\) and \(y\) being positive integers, was developed by Indian mathematicians since the 5th A.D., using continued division. The general Dayan qiuyi rule, developed by Qin Jiushao, first reduced the general case to that of relatively prime moduli, then solved the latter using the ``celestial element algebra''; finally the solution of the general problem was constructed. The algorithm was stated in general terms. In the 17th century, the famous Japanese mathematician independently developed a solution rather similar to that given by Qin. Solutions of some special cases were given in Arabic as well as Latin texts; finally, Euler, Lagrange and Gauss contributed to finding a general solution, about six centuries after it had been done in China.