1
$\begingroup$

Edit 2: I was trying to solve $2^{n} + 5^{n} - 65 = p^{2}$ for positive integer solutions

$$2^{n} + 5^{n} - 65 \equiv p^{2} \mod 5$$
has different solutions from
$$2^n \equiv p^2 \mod 5$$

Why is this so? Does this mean that both equations are not equivalent? Is reducing modulo $5$ a bad idea for finding integer solutions of $n$ and $p$?

Note: There are more solutions (including the solutions for the previous equation) not shown for $2^n \equiv p^2 \mod 5$, but it still stands that there are suddenly more solutions.

Edit: Equation 2 has too many solutions, including solutions where $n$ is not $0$. Here are some of them:
enter image description here

$\endgroup$
15
  • 4
    $\begingroup$ $5^n$ is not equal to $0 \mod 5$ if $n=0$. You have to separate the two cases, $n = 0$ and $n \ne 0$ $\endgroup$
    – Damien
    Feb 17, 2021 at 14:03
  • $\begingroup$ Ah I should've clarified it better. I obtained too many solutions for the second equation that I couldn't fit in 1 page. I'll edit it in. There are no values of $n$ above 18. $\endgroup$
    – helpme
    Feb 17, 2021 at 14:08
  • $\begingroup$ Wolframalpha decided to make the solutions for the second equation modulo 20, but there are still too many solutions $\endgroup$
    – helpme
    Feb 17, 2021 at 14:11
  • $\begingroup$ I don't understand the $\mod 20$ issue. If $p$ is a solution $\mod 5$, $p+5$ is a solution $\mod 5$ ... You only need to consider $p$ from $0$ to $4$ $\endgroup$
    – Damien
    Feb 17, 2021 at 14:16
  • $\begingroup$ @Damien To illustrate, what about the $n \equiv 12, p\equiv 6$ solution? That doesn't reduce to one of the four solutions in the small modulo 5 list. $\endgroup$
    – Arthur
    Feb 17, 2021 at 14:18

1 Answer 1

1
$\begingroup$

Here, $5^n \equiv 0 \mod 5$, except for $n = 0$.

Therefore, we have to make a distinction between $n = 0$ and $n \ne 0$.

Moreover, $\phi(5) = 4$.

Therefore,

$$ 2^n \mod 5 \equiv 2^{n \mod 4} \mod 5 $$.

As $n = 0$ is a special case, we have to consider $n = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4$.

Concerning $p$: if $p$ is a solution, then $p+5$ is a solution too. Then, for $p$, we have only to consider its value modulo 5.

At this point, it is easy to consider the different cases.

If $n = 0$:

$$p^2 = 2 \mod 5$$

It is easy to check that $p^2$ is equal to $0, 1, 4$ modulo 5. So, no solution

If $n \ne 0$:

$$p^2 \equiv 2^n \mod 5$$

$$n = 1 \implies p^2=2 \mod 5 \implies no\,solution\,in\,p$$ $$n = 2 \implies p^2=4 \mod 5 \implies p=2\,or\,p=3$$ $$n = 3 \implies p^2=3 \mod 5 \implies no\,solution\,in\,p$$ $$n = 4 \implies p^2=1 \mod 5 \implies p=1\,or\,p=4$$

$\endgroup$
2
  • $\begingroup$ Yup, I understand how to obtain solutions from $2^n=p^2$. What concerns me is that reducing modulo $5$ created so many solutions, and separating $n$ into $2$ cases does not seem to resolve this. $\endgroup$
    – helpme
    Feb 18, 2021 at 10:51
  • $\begingroup$ When I provide a solution with $n = 4$, in fact it corresponds to all $n = 4 \lambda$ solutions, with $\lambda \ne 0$. So for example, $n = 8$ is included. $\endgroup$
    – Damien
    Feb 18, 2021 at 11:01

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .