Difference between revisions of "Lifting the Exponent"

(Created page with "Let <math>p</math> be an odd prime, and let <math>a</math> and <math>b</math> be integers relatively prime to <math>p</math> such that <math>p \mid (a-b)</math>. Let <math>n</...")
(No difference)

Revision as of 19:21, 11 January 2024

Let $p$ be an odd prime, and let $a$ and $b$ be integers relatively prime to $p$ such that $p \mid (a-b)$. Let $n$ be a positive integer. Then the number of factors of $p$ that divide $a^n - b^n$ is equal to the number of factors of $p$ that divide $a-b$ plus the number of factors of $p$ that divide $n$.