de

rale de Lausanne
Ecole Polytechnique Fe
partement de mathe
matiques
De
Prof. E. Bayer Fluckiger
ALGEBRA FOR DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS
Section de syst`emes de communication

winter semester 2004-2005

Exercise sheet 3

01.11.04

Exercise 1
1. Let m Z be an integer. Show that the relation to be in the same congruence class
modulo m respects the product in Z. In other words, check that if a [x]m and b [y]m
then ab [xy]m .
2. Check that the relation to be in the same congruence class modulo m is transitive. In
other words, show that if a b mod m and b c mod m then a c mod m.
Exercise 2
Let Z1 = Z/13Z and Z2 = Z/14Z be the sets of congruence classes modulo 13, respectively
modulo 14. These sets are rings for the sum and the product defined in the lecture.
1. Which element of Z1 is the identity element for the multiplication ? What about the zero
element for the addition ?
2. Same questions for Z2 .
3. Are these rings commutative ? Do they contain zero divisors ? Give all the units of Z1 and
Z2 .
Exercise 3
Let M2 (Z/4Z) be the set of 2 2 matrices with coefficients in the ring Z/4Z of congruence
classes modulo 4. This set is a ring (with the usual product and sum of matrices).
1. How many elements are in M2 (Z/4Z) ?
2. Which element of M2 (Z/4Z) is the identity element for the multiplication ? What about
the zero element for the addition ?
3. Is this ring commutative ? Does it contain zero divisors ? Give all the units of M2 (Z/4Z).
Exercise 4
Alice and Bob would like to communicate securely using cryptography. They decide to use the
linear map encryption method.
Like in the previous exercise sheet, let A = {0, 1, . . . , 25} be the set of canonical representatives
modulo 26. Consider the following correspondence between the alphabet and A :
A B C D E F G H I
J
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9
N O P Q R S T U V W
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

K L M
10 11 12
X Y Z
23 24 25

Alice and Bob choose a secret key K M2 (Z/26Z) such that K 1 exists in M2 (Z/26Z). Every
word to be encrypted is subdivided into couples of two consecutive letters, ~v = [1st letter, 2nd letter]t .

The encryption function is given by

eK : Z/26Z Z/26Z
Z/26Z Z/26Z
~v
7 eK (~v ) = K ~v (mod 26)
and the decryption function is given by
dK : Z/26Z Z/26Z
Z/26Z Z/26Z
w
~
7 dK (w)
~ = K 1 ~v (mod 26)
Example Alice et Bob choose a key, say
!

4 5
K=
1 10

with

4 11
=
23 12

1. Alice wants to send the message CIAO to Bob. She translates it into the alphabet A,
which gives : [2, 8]t [0, 14]t .
2. She encrypts the message with eK : K [2, 8]t K [0, 14]t = [22, 4]t [18, 10]t .
3. Bob gets the message WESK.
4. He translates it into the alphabet A : 22 4 18 10.
5. Finally, he decrypts it using dK : 2 8 0 14 and finds Alices message.
a) For the example above, check that K is a unit and that K 1 is indeed its inverse.
b) Check that the linear map encryption method is actually a cryptographic system, i.e.,
dK (eK (x)) = x for all x in A.
c) Decrypt the message KOWFXQ using the key of the example.
!

1 5
. Alice doesnt agree. Why ?
d) Bob proposes to Alice to use the following matrix
10 11
Challenge exercise 1
Let A be a finite, commutative ring with no zero divisor. Show that A is a field.