Maths Olympiad Prep

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Number theory Difficulty 6.3 National olympiad Find the answer

(a) (a) Prove that 91 91 divides n37\minusn n^{37}\minus{}n for all integers n n.
(b) (b) Find the largest k k that divides n37\minusn n^{37}\minus{}n for all integers n n.

A number or a short expression. Spacing and $ signs are ignored.

Solution

### Part (a)
1. Using Fermat's Little Theorem (FLT):
- Fermat's Little Theorem states that for any integer n n and a prime p p , npn(modp) n^p \equiv n \pmod{p} .
- For p=7 p = 7 , we have n7n(mod7) n^7 \equiv n \pmod{7} . Therefore, n7kn(mod7) n^{7k} \equiv n \pmod{7} for any integer k k .
- Since 37=66+1 37 = 6 \cdot 6 + 1 , we can write n37n66+1n(mod7) n^{37} \equiv n^{6 \cdot 6 + 1} \equiv n \pmod{7} .

2. Using Fermat's Little Theorem for another prime:
- For p=13 p = 13 , we have n13n(mod13) n^{13} \equiv n \pmod{13} . Therefore, n13kn(mod13) n^{13k} \equiv n \pmod{13} for any integer k k .
- Since 37=123+1 37 = 12 \cdot 3 + 1 , we can write n37n123+1n(mod13) n^{37} \equiv n^{12 \cdot 3 + 1} \equiv n \pmod{13} .

3. Combining the results using the Chinese Remainder Theorem:
- We have shown that n37n(mod7) n^{37} \equiv n \pmod{7} and n37n(mod13) n^{37} \equiv n \pmod{13} .
- Since 7 and 13 are coprime, by the Chinese Remainder Theorem, n37n(mod91) n^{37} \equiv n \pmod{91} .

4. Conclusion for part (a):
- Therefore, 91 91 divides n37n n^{37} - n for all integers n n .

### Part (b)
1. **Finding the largest k k that divides n37n n^{37} - n for all integers n n :**
- We need to find the largest k k such that n37n(modk) n^{37} \equiv n \pmod{k} for all integers n n .
- From part (a), we know that k k must be a multiple of 91.
- Additionally, we need to consider other primes and their powers that might divide n37n n^{37} - n .

2. **Using the Carmichael function λ(k) \lambda(k) :**
- The Carmichael function λ(k) \lambda(k) gives the smallest positive integer m m such that nm1(modk) n^m \equiv 1 \pmod{k} for all integers n n coprime to k k .
- For k=91 k = 91 , λ(91)=lcm(λ(7),λ(13))=lcm(6,12)=12 \lambda(91) = \text{lcm}(\lambda(7), \lambda(13)) = \text{lcm}(6, 12) = 12 .
- Since 371(mod12) 37 \equiv 1 \pmod{12} , n37n(mod91) n^{37} \equiv n \pmod{91} .

3. Considering other factors:
- We need to check if there are any other factors of n37n n^{37} - n that are not covered by 91.
- The prime factors of 36 36 are 2,3 2, 3 , and their powers.
- The largest k k that divides n37n n^{37} - n for all n n must be a multiple of 2232713=4991=3276 2^2 \cdot 3^2 \cdot 7 \cdot 13 = 4 \cdot 9 \cdot 91 = 3276 .

4. Conclusion for part (b):
- The largest k k that divides n37n n^{37} - n for all integers n n is 3276 3276 .

The final answer is 3276 \boxed{3276}

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Source: NuminaMath-1.5, licensed Apache-2.0. Statement and solution reproduced as published; topic and difficulty added by this site.