# How to calculate $3^{45357} \mod 5$?

I wrote some code, here is what it gives: \begin{align*} 3^0 \mod 5 = 1 \\ 3^1 \mod 5 = 3 \\ 3^2 \mod 5 = 4 \\ 3^3 \mod 5 = 2 \\\\ 3^4 \mod 5 = 1 \\ 3^5 \mod 5 = 3 \\ 3^6 \mod 5 = 4 \\ 3^7 \mod 5 = 2 \\\\ 3^8 \mod 5 = 1 \\ 3^9 \mod 5 = 3 \\ 3^{10} \mod 5 = 4 \\ 3^{11} \mod 5 = 2 \\\\ 3^{12} \mod 5 = 1 \\ 3^{13} \mod 5 = 3 \\ ... \end{align*} As I see, there's a period $1, 3, 4, 2$. And intuitively, it's easy to predict that $3^{45357} \mod 5 = 3$. Unfortunately, I'm almost unfamilar with modular math. Could you give me strict analytic explaination of this thing?

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It’s a theorem that the nonzero residues modulo a prime form a cyclic group. In this case, of order four, and generated, as you’ve seen, by the residue of $3$. So the value of $3^n$ modulo $5$ depends only on the residue of $n$ modulo $4$, you’re done. –  Lubin Nov 11 '12 at 7:00

Using Fermat's Little theorem,

$a^{p-1}\equiv1\pmod p$ if $(a,p)=1$

$\implies (a^{p-1})^d\equiv1^d\pmod p \equiv1 \pmod p$

if $b=c+(p-1)d$ i.e., $b\equiv c\pmod {p-1}$ where $a,b,c,d$ are non-negative integers and $p$ is prime,

$a^b=a^{c+(p-1)d}=a^c\cdot(a^{p-1})^d\equiv a^c\pmod p$

Here, $3^{5-1}\equiv 1\pmod 5$ as $(3,5)=1$

As $45357\equiv 1\pmod 4\implies 3^{45357}\equiv 3^1\pmod 5\equiv 3$

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Could you explain the second line, please? How the second equation results from the first one? –  o2genum Nov 11 '12 at 7:36
@o2genum, please find the edited answer.Please let me know you have any more confusion. –  lab bhattacharjee Nov 11 '12 at 7:41
@o2genum The $\implies$ sign was indeed misleading. –  Did Nov 11 '12 at 8:29
@did, is the latest version clear enough? –  lab bhattacharjee Nov 11 '12 at 8:32
Dunno, ask the OP. (Anyway, invoking Fermat to check that 81 = 1 mod 5 (something already noted by the OP)...) –  Did Nov 11 '12 at 8:35

The pattern you've seen here is that $3^{4k+1}\;\text{mod}\:5=3$ for integers $k\ge 0$. You can prove this inductively from the base case, and the fact that $3^4=81$ is equal to $1$ modulo $5$. Hence, since $4\cdot 11339+1=45357$, then your prediction holds.

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Since you say you are unfamiliar with modular arithmetic, here is an alternative proof. Your exponent $45357$ has form $\rm\:4n+1\:$ and your small table of values all satisfy $\rm\: mod\ 5\!:\ 3^{4n+1}\! \equiv 3,\:$ i.e. $\rm\:5\mid 3^{4n+1}\!-3 = 3(3^{4n}-1).\:$ This is true since $\rm\:5\cdot 16 = 3^4-1\:|\:3^{4n}\!-1\$ by $\rm\:x-1\:|\:x^n-1$.

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