Exercise 5.19

Let D be as in Exercise 18. Show that ∑ ⁡ ( a ∕ D ) = 0 , where the sum is over a reduced residue system modulo D . Conclude that exactly one half of the elements in U ( ℤ ∕ Dℤ ) satisfy ( a ∕ D ) = 1 .

Answers

Proof. Let b such that ( b ∕ D ) = − 1 and b ∧ D = 1 : the existence of b comes from Ex 5.18.

Let S = ∑ ⁡ a ∈ A ( a ∕ D ) , where A is reduced residue system modulo D . As two reduced system modulo D represent the same elements in U ( ℤ ∕ Dℤ ) , the sum is independent of the reduced residue system A : we can write

S = ∑ a ¯ ∈ U ( ℤ ∕ Dℤ ) ( a ∕ D ) .

As b ∧ D = 1 , we know from Ex. 3.6 that B = bA = { ba | a ∈ A } is also a reduced system modulo D . In other words, the application U ( ℤ ∕ Dℤ ) → U ( ℤ ∕ Dℤ ) , a ¯ ↦ a ¯ b ¯ is a bijection, so

( b D ) S = ∑ a ¯ ∈ U ( ℤ ∕ Dℤ ) ( b D ) ( a D ) = ∑ a ¯ ∈ U ( ℤ ∕ Dℤ ) ( ba D ) = ∑ c ¯ ∈ U ( ℤ ∕ Dℤ ) ( c D ) = S ( c ¯ = a ¯ b ¯ ) .

As ( b ∕ D ) = − 1 , − S = S , so S = 0 .

Since ( a ∕ D ) = ± 1 , one half of the elements in U ( ℤ ∕ Dℤ ) satisfy ( a ∕ D ) = 1 , and one half of the elements in U ( ℤ ∕ Dℤ ) satisfy ( a ∕ D ) = − 1 . □

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2022-07-19 00:00
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