×

# Solving Problems From The Back - 4

How can we possibly show this? We have such little control over anything. Wait, Does showing that $$2^{ L f( 2^n)} \equiv 2^{ n - 2^n} \pmod { f(2^n)}$$ remind us of anything? The Lefthandside makes it so tempting for us to want to apply Fermat's Little Theorem. Oh, dang! If only $$f(2^n)$$ was a prime ...

Such wishful thinking. How do we "make" it a prime? Well, if it isn't a prime, how about we take a prime factor $$p$$. Now, we backtrack our breadcrumbs to fix it. Remember when I said that breadcrumb 2 is too strong?

Breadcrumb 2B: For all $$n$$, for any $$p \mid f(2^n)$$, then there exists a $$k$$ such that $$p \mid f(k)$$ and $$p \mid f(2^k)$$.

Breadcrumb 3B: Let's classify (possible) candidates for $$k$$. From the 1st well known result, $$k = 2^n + Lp$$, where $$L$$ is any integer, work.

Breadcrumb 4B: We want to show that there is some $$L$$ such that $$p \mid f(2^{ 2^n + L p})$$.

Exercise 8: What do you think Breadcrumb 5B looks like?

Ponder this, and then move on to the next note in this set.

Note by Calvin Lin
2 years, 8 months ago