Lesson 2.

5: Coprime, Additive and

Multiplicative Inverses

Coprime is another term that we may use for the expression relatively
prime for the integers whose common factors are none other than 1 and -1, or in
other words, when the integers’ greatest common divisor is 1. Two integers are
additive inverses of each other if their sum results in 0. On the other hand, two
integers are multiplicative inverses of each other if their product is 1.

Modular Additive Inverses

Recall from your algebra course that an additive inverse of a number 𝑎, will
make a sum with 𝑎 to be zero (additive identity). An additive inverse of a real
number can also be a real number of its opposite sign or is also referred to as a
negation of that given real number. In example, −5 is the additive inverse of 5,
since −5 + 5 = 0. 8 is the additive inverse of −8 since 8 + (−8) = 0.
However, in modular arithmetic, the modular additive inverse of an integer
𝑥 is the integer 𝑎 where 𝑎 + 𝑥 ≡ 0 (𝑚𝑜𝑑 𝑚), and that 𝑥 and 𝑎 are modular additive
inverse of each other as their sum leaves a remainder of zero when divided by the
value of the modulo 𝑚. Thus, 15 is a modular additive inverse of 5 modulo 20
because it satisfies the congruence 5 + 𝑥 ≡ 0 (𝑚𝑜𝑑 20).

Modular Multiplicative Inverse

In algebra, the multiplicative inverse of a number 𝑎 is the number 𝑥, whose

product in 𝑎 results to 1 (multiplicative identity). Multiplicative inverse of a number
1
can also be called as the reciprocal of a number, denoted by the expressions or
𝑥
1
𝑥 −1 . In an example, the multiplicative inverse of 7 is . The multiplicative inverse of
7
3 8
is .
8 3
In modular arithmetic sense, the modular multiplicative inverse of 𝑎 is 𝑥
defined by the congruence notation 𝑎𝑥 ≡ 1 (𝑚𝑜𝑑 𝑚), provided that 𝑎, 𝑥, and 𝑚 are
integers. For example, 3 is a modular multiplicative inverse of 6 modulo 17, which
will become 6 ∙ 3 ≡ 1 (𝑚𝑜𝑑 17) when expressed in congruence notation. Thus, 𝑥 is
a modular multiplicative inverse of 𝑎 if their product makes a remainder of 1 when
divided by the modulo 𝑚. Notice that 𝑎 and the modulo 𝑚 must be coprime in order
for a modular multiplicative inverse to exist.

Question Set 1:
1. What is the additive inverse of 0?
2. Is there any integer that does not have a multiplicative inverse? What is
it/are those?
3. Is there any integers that has an integer multiplicative inverse? What is
it/are those?

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 4. If an integer contains a modular additive inverse or a modular
multiplicative inverse, will it also possibly have infinitely many modular additive
inverses or modular multiplicative inverses?

Problem:
What is the additive and the multiplicative inverse of each element of 𝑍5
(modulo 5)?

We can use modular arithmetic table, also known as Cayley Table to

describe the set of solution to this problem. Cayley table was named after the 19 th-
century British mathematician Arthur Cayley. Shown below is the table of 𝑍5 under
addition (Table 2.5.1) and multiplicative (Table 2.5.2) operations:

Addition 𝒁𝟓 (modulo 5)

𝟓𝒄 + 𝟑
𝟓𝒄 + 𝟏

𝟓𝒄 + 𝟐

𝟓𝒄 + 𝟒
Set of integers with
corresponding
remainder, modulo 5
𝟓𝒄
→

→
→

→
+ 0 1 2 3 4
Remainders (modulo 5)
𝟓𝒄 → 0 0 1 2 3 4 of the corresponding
sum between integers
𝟓𝒄 + 𝟏 → 1 1 2 3 4 0 in the first row and first
column.

𝟓𝒄 + 𝟐 → 2 2 3 4 0 1
𝟓𝒄 + 𝟑 → 3 3 4 0 1 2 Integers (that is represented
by the remainders in the first
𝟓𝒄 + 𝟒 → 4 4 0 1 2 3 column and first-row modulo
5) whose intersection is 0, are
modular additive inverses
Table 2.5.1 (notice color coding).
Set of integers with
corresponding
remainder, modulo 5

Let us take a specific integer value 𝑎 for numbers whose remainder is 4 as

located along the first column and is within a green-colored cell representing
integers of the form 5𝑐 + 4 (for any integer 𝑐). If 𝑐 = 1, then 𝑎 is 9. The modular
additive inverses 𝑥 of 9 are those integer values whose remainder 1is located
along the first row and is within a green-colored cell representing integers of the
form 5𝑐 + 1. We may plug in any integer 𝑐 to 5𝑐 + 1, let us say, 𝑐 = 3, then 𝑥 = 16.
Thus, 16 is a modular additive inverse of 9 modulo 5 expressed as 9 + 16 ≡
0 (𝑚𝑜𝑑 5).

Question Set 2:
1. Are there infinitely many modular additive inverses that we can generate
from table 2.5.1 for modulo 5?

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Vision: A globally competitive university for science, technology, and environmental conservation.
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Mission: Development of a highly competitive human resource, cutting-edge scientific knowledge V0 07-15-2020
and innovative technologies for sustainable communities and environment. No. VT-CTEAS-DTE-
Math128-20-003
 2. Use the Cayley table in Table 2.5.1 to express at least 5 congruence
notations that satisfy 𝑎 + 𝑥 ≡ 0 (𝑚𝑜𝑑 5).
3. Construct a Cayley Table for addition 𝑍8 .

Multiplication 𝒁𝟓 (modulo 5)

Set of integers with

+𝟏

+𝟐

+𝟑

+𝟒
𝟓𝒄

𝟓𝒄

𝟓𝒄

𝟓𝒄
corresponding

𝟓𝒄
remainder, modulo 5

→
× 0 1 2 3 4
𝟓𝒄 → 0 0 0 0 0 0 Remainders (modulo 5)
of the corresponding
𝟓𝒄 + 𝟏 → 1 0 1 2 3 4 product between
integers in the first row
𝟓𝒄 + 𝟐 → 2 0 2 4 1 3 and first column.

𝟓𝒄 + 𝟑 → 3 0 3 1 4 2
Integers (that is represented
𝟓𝒄 + 𝟒 → 4 0 4 3 2 1 by the remainders in the first
column and first-row modulo
Table 2.5.2 5) whose intersection is 1, are
modular multiplicative
Set of integers with inverses s(notice color
corresponding coding).
remainder, modulo 5

We can use table 2.5.2 to determine the modular multiplicative inverse of

7 modulo 5 in the congruence 7𝑥 ≡ 1 (𝑚𝑜𝑑 5). Notice that 7 is in the form 5𝑐 + 2
(for any integer 𝑐), and its remainder modulo 5 is 2, represented by 2 within the
pink cell in the first column. Its modular multiplicative inverse is of the form 5𝑐 + 3
represented by the remainder 3 within the pink cell in the first row. The intersection
of these two remainders (2 and 3) is 1 (in the pink cell), which means that the
product of 5𝑐 + 2 and 5𝑐 + 3 would always have a remainder of 1 modulo 5.

Question Set 3:
1. Are there infinitely many modular multiplicative inverses that we can
generate from table 2.5.2 for modulo 5?
2. Use the Cayley table in Table 2.5.2 to express at least 5 congruence
notations that satisfies 𝑎𝑥 ≡ 1 (𝑚𝑜𝑑 5).
3. Construct a Cayley Table for multiplication 𝑍8 .

Page 3 of 3
Vision: A globally competitive university for science, technology, and environmental conservation.
TP-IMD-03
Mission: Development of a highly competitive human resource, cutting-edge scientific knowledge V0 07-15-2020
and innovative technologies for sustainable communities and environment. No. VT-CTEAS-DTE-
Math128-20-003