Number Theory Help: Find Solutions of 3x^5≡1(mod 23)

In summary, the conversation discusses finding all solutions to the congruence 3x^5≡1(mod 23). The individual has made a table of indices modulo 23 with respect to the primitive root 5 and is currently trying to solve the congruence using linear congruence theorem. They suggest finding the multiplicative inverse of 5 mod 22 and multiplying it by the fifth root of 3^-1 mod 23.
  • #1
buzzmath
112
0
Can anyone help me with this problem?

Find all solutions of the following congruence 3x^5≡1(mod 23)

This is what I have so far
I know 5 is a primitive root and I made a table of indices modulo 23 with respect to 5
then
Φ(23)=22
Ind5(3x5)≡ind5(1)=22(mod 22)
Ind5(3x5)≡ind5(3) + ind5(x5)≡16 + 5ind5(x)(mod22)
16+5ind5(x)≡22(mod22)
5ind5(x)≡6(mod22)
I'm stuck here because I'm not really sure how to get rid of the 5 on the left side or if I even have to.

Thanks
 
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  • #2
where ind5(x) is index of x to the base 5
 
  • #3
Why don'y you just work out 3x^5 for all x in 1,..,22? (of course you can omit many of these since they can't be solutions). If you had magma handy it could be done by

for i in [1..22] do
print "x=",i,"3x^5=", Modexp(i,5,23);
end for;

for python:

R=range(1,22)
for x in R:
... print x, 3*(x**5)%23
...of course this is a silly way to do it as it doesn't teach you much.

Better, find 3^(-1) mod 23 (euclid)
find a fifth root of this number (you know what it is as a power of 5, right?) now multiply by all the 5th roots of unity, just like you'd do in the complex number case.
 
  • #4
buzzmath said:
5ind5(x)≡6(mod22)
I'm stuck here because I'm not really sure how to get rid of the 5 on the left side or if I even have to.

5 and 22 are relatively prime. Find the multiplicative inverse of 5 mod 22 and multiply.
 
  • #5
ummm use linear Congruence Th'm..if your already onto primitive roots you should have learned that theorem already. When you've solved the LinCong...then look back at your Index table and get the number your actually looking for.
 

What is number theory?

Number theory is a branch of mathematics that deals with the properties and relationships of numbers, particularly integers. It explores patterns and structures within numbers and their applications.

What does 3x^5≡1(mod 23) mean?

This is a congruence equation, which means that 3x^5 is congruent to 1 modulo 23. This implies that when 3x^5 is divided by 23, the remainder will be 1.

How do I find solutions to this equation?

To find solutions, you can use the theorem of Fermat's Little Theorem, which states that if p is a prime number and a is an integer not divisible by p, then a^(p-1)≡1(mod p). In this case, p=23 and a=3, so we have 3^(23-1)≡1(mod 23). This reduces to 3^22≡1(mod 23). From here, you can use trial and error or a computer program to find possible values of x that satisfy the equation.

Are there any other methods for solving this equation?

Yes, there are other methods such as using the Chinese Remainder Theorem or the Extended Euclidean Algorithm. However, these methods may be more complex and time-consuming compared to using Fermat's Little Theorem.

What are the possible solutions for this equation?

There are infinite possible solutions for this equation. Some possible solutions are x=1, x=5, x=9, x=13, x=17, and x=21. These values can be found by substituting them into the equation and checking if they satisfy the congruence condition.

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