Exercise 9.44

Let n ∈ ℤ , n = s 1 ⋯ s t , n ≡ 1 ( mod 4 ) , i = 1 , … , t . Show ( n − 1 ) ∕ 4 ≡ ∑ ⁡ i = 1 t ( s i − 1 ) ∕ 4 ( mod 4 ) .

Answers

Proof. If n = st , s ≡ 1 , t ≡ 1 [ 4 ] , then s = 4 k + 1 , t = 4 l + 1 , k , t ∈ ℤ , so

n = ( 4 k + 1 ) ( 4 l + 1 ) = 16 kl + 4 k + 4 l + 1 , n − 1 4 = 4 kl + k + l ≡ k + l = s − 1 4 + l − 1 4 [ 4 ] .

Reasoning by induction on t , suppose that every product of t factors n = s 1 s 2 ⋯ s t , where s i ≡ 1 [ 4 ] verifies

n − 1 4 ≡ ∑ i = 1 t s i − 1 4 [ 4 ] .

If n ′ = s 1 s 2 ⋯ s t s t + 1 = n s t + 1 , s i ≡ 1 [ 4 ] , then n ≡ 1 , s t + 1 ≡ 1 [ 4 ] , so

n ′ − 1 4 ≡ n − 1 4 + s t + 1 − 1 4 ≡ ∑ i = 1 t s i − 1 4 + s t + 1 − 1 4 ≡ ∑ i = 1 t + 1 s i − 1 4 [ 4 ] .

Conclusion : if n = s 1 s 2 ⋯ s t , s i ≡ 1 [ 4 ] , then n − 1 4 ≡ ∑ ⁡ i = 1 t s i − 1 4 [ 4 ] . □

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2022-07-19 00:00
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