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Covering System


A covering system is a finite collection of congruences x=a_i  (modm_i) with m_i>=2 whose residue classes together contain every integer. It is distinct when its moduli m_i are pairwise different (Erdős 1950). A complete residue system for a single modulus gives a covering, but its moduli repeat.

Filaseta et al. (2026) proved that a distinct covering system with smallest modulus a prime q>=11 satisfies

 sum_(i)1/(m_i)>=1+10^(-28).

Filaseta et al. (2026) also proved that there is no covering system with distinct moduli that are all multiples of such a prime. Filaseta et al. (2026) also proved that at most nine distinct covering systems can have pairwise disjoint sets of moduli.


See also

Complete Residue System, Congruence

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References

Erdős, P. "On Integers of the Form 2^k+p and Some Related Problems." Summa Brasil. Math. 2, 113-123, 1950.Filaseta, M.; Kalogirou, A.; and Klein, J. "Results for Distinct Covering Systems with a Prime Minimum Modulus q>=11." 25 Oct 2026. https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.34541.

Referenced on Wolfram|Alpha

Covering System

Cite this as:

Weisstein, Eric W. "Covering System." From MathWorld--A Wolfram Resource. https://mathworld.wolfram.com/CoveringSystem.html

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