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Number theory Difficulty 6.3 National olympiad Prove it Brazil

p(x1,x2,,xn)p(x_1, x_2, \dots, x_n) is a polynomial with integer coefficients. For each positive integer rr, k(r)k(r) is the number of nn-tuples (a1,a2,,an)(a_1, a_2, \dots, a_n) such that 0air10 \le a_i \le r - 1 and p(a1,a2,,an)p(a_1, a_2, \dots, a_n) is prime to rr. Show that if uu and vv are coprime then k(uv)=k(u)k(v)k(u \cdot v) = k(u) \cdot k(v), and if pp is prime then k(ps)=pn(s1)k(p)k(p^s) = p^{n(s-1)}k(p).

Solution

First observe that if aibi(modr)a_i \equiv b_i \pmod r, i=1,2,,ni = 1, 2, \dots, n then p(a1,a2,,an)p(b1,b2,,bn)(modr)p(a_1, a_2, \dots, a_n) \equiv p(b_1, b_2, \dots, b_n) \pmod r. If uu and vv are coprime then given b1,b2,,bnb_1, b_2, \dots, b_n and c1,c2,,cnc_1, c_2, \dots, c_n with 0bi<u0 \le b_i < u and 0ci<v0 \le c_i < v by the chinese remainder theorem there exist unique integers a1,a2,,ana_1, a_2, \dots, a_n with 0ai<uv0 \le a_i < uv such that aibi(modu)a_i \equiv b_i \pmod u and aici(modv)a_i \equiv c_i \pmod v, which imply p(a1,a2,,an)p(b1,b2,,bn)(modu)p(a_1, a_2, \dots, a_n) \equiv p(b_1, b_2, \dots, b_n) \pmod u, p(a1,a2,,an)p(c1,c2,,cn)(modv)p(a_1, a_2, \dots, a_n) \equiv p(c_1, c_2, \dots, c_n) \pmod v. Thus
gcd(p(a1,a2,,an),uv)=1    {gcd(p(a1,a2,,an),u)=1gcd(p(a1,a2,,an),v)=1 \gcd(p(a_1, a_2, \dots, a_n), uv) = 1 \iff \begin{cases} \gcd(p(a_1, a_2, \dots, a_n), u) = 1 \\ \gcd(p(a_1, a_2, \dots, a_n), v) = 1 \end{cases}
and k(uv)=k(u)k(v)k(uv) = k(u) \cdot k(v).
For pp prime gcd(p(a1,a2,,an),ps)=1    gcd(p(a1,a2,,an),p)=1\gcd(p(a_1, a_2, \dots, a_n), p^s) = 1 \iff \gcd(p(a_1, a_2, \dots, a_n), p) = 1. Divide each aia_i by pp, obtaining quotient qiq_i and remainder rir_i. Reducing modulo pp, we obtain gcd(p(a1,a2,,an),p)=1    gcd(p(r1,r2,,rn),p)=1\gcd(p(a_1, a_2, \dots, a_n), p) = 1 \iff \gcd(p(r_1, r_2, \dots, r_n), p) = 1. Given rir_i there are ps/p=ps1p^s/p = p^{s-1} possibilities for qiq_i such that 0ai<ps0 \le a_i < p^s. Hence k(ps)=(ps1)nk(p)=pn(s1)k(p)k(p^s) = (p^{s-1})^n k(p) = p^{n(s-1)} k(p), as required.

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