Exercise · ZW-EULER-S-CRITERION-007 · ★★☆ Intermediate

For \(p=13\) and \(a=5\), what is \(5^{6}\bmod 13\), and what does it mean?

Choose one option.

Show answer
  • A. \(-1\), so 5 is not a quadratic residue

Explanation

Since \(5^{2}=25\equiv -1\pmod{13}\), we get \(5^{6}\equiv -1\pmod{13}\). This matches the squares modulo 13, which are 1, 3, 4, 9, 10 and 12.

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Review the concept: Euler's criterion

Criterion that decides whether an integer \(a\) is a quadratic residue modulo an odd prime \(p\) by means of a modular power.

\[\left(\frac{a}{p}\right) \equiv a^{\frac{p-1}{2}} \pmod{p}\]

More practice problems: euler's criterion

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