MHB Determine the number of integers for which the congruence is true

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The congruence \( x^{25} \equiv x \pmod{n} \) holds for all integers \( x \) if \( n \) is a product of distinct primes \( p \) such that \( p-1 \) divides 24. The relevant primes are 2, 3, 5, 7, and 13. Additionally, \( n \) cannot include the square of any prime, as this would violate the congruence for \( x = p \). By the Chinese Remainder Theorem, any combination of these primes will satisfy the condition, resulting in 31 valid integers \( n \geq 2 \). The analysis concludes that the integers satisfying the congruence are precisely those products of the specified primes.
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Determine the number of integers $n \geq 2$ for which the congruence $x^{25} \equiv x$ $(mod \;\; n)$ is true for all integers $x$.
 
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lfdahl said:
Determine the number of integers $n \geq 2$ for which the congruence $x^{25} \equiv x$ $(mod \;\; n)$ is true for all integers $x$.
[sp]
Let us look first at a prime divisor $p$ of $n$. If $x\equiv0\pmod{p}$, the congruence is obviously satisfied. Otherwise, we may cancel $x$ and get $x^{24}\equiv1\pmod{p}$.

This congruence will be satisfied if $o(x)\mid24$, where $o(x)$ is the multiplicative order of $x$ modulo $p$. If we take $x$ as a primitive root modulo $p$, we have $o(x)=p-1$, by Fermat's theorem, and this shows that we must have $p-1\mid 24$. Since $o(x)\mid p-1$ for any $x\not\equiv0$, the condition is sufficient as well (if $n=p$).

The primes $p$ such that $p-1\mid 24$ are 2, 3, 5, 7, and 13.

By the Chinese Remainder Theorem, any product of distinct primes from this set will satisfy the congruence for all $x$.

Now, $n$ cannot be divisible by the square of a prime $p$, because the congruence would fail for $x=p$: $p^{25}\equiv0\not\equiv p\pmod{p^2}$.

To summarize, the only integers $n\ge2$ that satisfy the condition are the products of distinct integers from the set $\{2,3,5,7,13\}$; there are $2^5-1=31$ such integers.
[/sp]
 
Last edited:
castor28 said:
[sp]
Let us look first at a prime divisor $p$ of $n$. If $x\equiv0\pmod{p}$, the congruence is obviously satisfied. Otherwise, we may cancel $x$ and get $x^{24}\equiv1\pmod{p}$.

This congruence will be satisfied if $o(x)\mid24$, where $o(x)$ is the multiplicative order of $x$ modulo $p$. If we take $x$ as a primitive root modulo $p$, we have $o(x)=p-1$, by Fermat's theorem, and this shows that we must have $p-1\mid 24$. Since $o(x)\mid p-1$ for any $x\not\equiv0$, the condition is sufficient as well (if $n=p$).

The primes $p$ such that $p-1\mid 24$ are 2, 3, 5, 7, and 13.

By the Chinese Remainder Theorem, any product of distinct primes from this set will satisfy the congruence for all $x$.

Now, $n$ cannot be divisible by the square of a prime $p$, because the congruence would fail for $x=p$: $p^{25}\equiv0\not\equiv p\pmod{p^2}$.

To summarize, the only integers $n\ge2$ that satisfy the condition are the products of distinct integers from the set $\{2,3,5,7,13\}$; there are $2^5-1=31$ such integers.
[/sp]

Amazing, castor28! Thankyou very much for your sharp-minded deduction! (Cool)
 
Good morning I have been refreshing my memory about Leibniz differentiation of integrals and found some useful videos from digital-university.org on YouTube. Although the audio quality is poor and the speaker proceeds a bit slowly, the explanations and processes are clear. However, it seems that one video in the Leibniz rule series is missing. While the videos are still present on YouTube, the referring website no longer exists but is preserved on the internet archive...

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