Maths Olympiad Prep

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, 2012

Number theory Difficulty 5.9 AIME, harder Prove it Saudi Arabia

Given an odd number n3n \ge 3, let
S={k:1kn,gcd(k,n)=1} S = \{k : 1 \le k \le n, \gcd(k, n) = 1\}
and let
T={k:kS,gcd(k+1,n)=1}. T = \{k : k \in S, \gcd(k + 1, n) = 1\}.
For each kSk \in S, let rkr_k be the remainder left by kS1n\frac{k|S| - 1}{n} upon division by nn. Show that
kT(rkrnk)ST(modn). \prod_{k \in T} (r_k - r_{n-k}) \equiv |S|^{|T|} \pmod{n}.

Solution

Since nn is odd,
S=ϕ(n)=npn(11/p) |S| = \phi(n) = n \prod_{p|n} (1 - 1/p)
is even. Given an element kk of SS, write
kS1+nrk(modn2)k^{|S|} \equiv 1+nr_k \pmod{n^2} and (nk)S1+nrnk(modn2)(n-k)^{|S|} \equiv 1+nr_{n-k} \pmod{n^2}, and notice that
(nk)SkSnkS1(modn2), (n-k)^{|S|} \equiv k^{|S|} \cdot n \cdot k^{|S|-1} \pmod{n^2},
to get
rkrnkSkS1(modn). r_k - r_{n-k} \equiv |S| \cdot k^{|S|-1} \pmod{n}.
Hence
kT(rkrnk)ST(kTk)S1(modn). \prod_{k \in T} (r_k - r_{n-k}) \equiv |S|^{|T|} \left(\prod_{k \in T} k\right)^{|S|-1} \pmod{n}.
Finally, notice that the product in the right-hand member is congruent to 1 modulo nn. To see this, let kk' denote the modulo nn multiplicative inverse of an element kk of SS, and notice that
k+1k(k+1)(modn)and(k1)(k+1)kk(modn). k'+1 \equiv k'(k+1) \pmod{n} \quad \text{and} \quad (k-1)(k'+1) \equiv k-k' \pmod{n}.
The first congruence shows that if kk belongs to TT, then so does kk', and the second shows that k=kk = k' if and only if k=1k = 1. Consequently, if k1k \neq 1, the factors kk and kk' in the product can be paired off and the conclusion follows.

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