Chinese remainder theorem
Teorema chino del resto
- Date
- c. 300 CE · confidence low
- Place
- China (Jin dynasty), probably Luoyang
- Credited to
- Sunzi Suanjing; generalised by Qin Jiushao (1247)
- Field
- Knowledge & symbols
What was discovered
A system of congruences with coprime moduli has a unique solution modulo their product. It appears as a problem in the Sunzi Suanjing and receives a general algorithm (Dayan) from Qin Jiushao.
Qin Jiushao (Hangzhou, 1247) also developed a method for evaluating polynomials equivalent to Horner's scheme.
What it led to
- modular arithmetic
- RSA cryptography (acceleration)
- residue-based computation
- calendars
Built on
Made possible
- Qin Jiushao's numerical method for polynomial equations (Horner's method)1247
- Chinese calendrical calculation