# Solve the congruence system: $p \equiv 11\pmod{24}$ and $p\equiv 3 \pmod 4$

I want to find the solutions of the congruences system: $p \equiv 11\pmod{24}$ and $p\equiv 3 \pmod 4$.

I probably have some mistake in my solution, can you tell me where I'm wrong?

$4$ and $24$ are non co-primes so I can't use Chinese theorem. So I used this:

and becuase $24=2^3 * 3$ I found the solution for the equivlanet system: $p \equiv 2(\mod3 )$ and $p\equiv 3 (\mod 4)$ and now I used the Chinese theorem and found that $p\equiv 11 (\mod 12)$.

But when trying to check my answer, I noticed that for exmaple $23\equiv 11 (\mod 12)$ but it's not true that $23\equiv 11 (\mod 24)$ which is the original congruence, So what did I do wrong? and could anyone explain me the method to solve congruences like this where the modulos are not co-primes? thank you.

If $p\equiv11\pmod{24}$ then $p\equiv3\pmod{4}$, because if $p=11+24k$ for some $k\in\Bbb{Z}$ then $$p=3+4(2+6k),$$ with $2+6k\in\Bbb{Z}$. So you only need to solve $p\equiv11\pmod{24}$.
The equivalent system, using the Chinese Remainder theorem, should be $$p\equiv2\pmod{3}\qquad\text{ and }\qquad p\equiv3\pmod{8},$$ the latter congruence should be modulo $8$. Breaking down congruences this way is a good approach to solving systems of modular equations, also when the moduli are not coprime.
• Because $24=2^3\times3$, the Chinese remainder theorem allows you to check the congruence for the maximal prime powers dividing $24$, which are $2^3$ and $3^1$, i.e. $8$ and $3$. Not $4$ and $3$. – Servaes Jun 5 '16 at 11:24
• Because $p\equiv11\pmod{24}$ implies that $p\equiv11\pmod{3}$ and $p\equiv11\pmod{8}$, by an argument similar to the one in my answer. – Servaes Jun 5 '16 at 13:46
$$p\equiv11\pmod{24}\implies p\equiv11\pmod4\equiv3$$
So, it is sufficient to have $$p\equiv11\pmod{24}$$