Euler's Theorem

This page is not about Euler's formula or Euler's identity.
In number theory, Euler's theorem (also known as the Fermat-Euler theorem) states that if n is a positive integer and a is coprime to n, then
aφ(n) = 1 (mod n)
where φ(n) denotes Euler's totient function. The theorem is a generalization of Fermat's little theorem, and is further generalized by Carmichael's theorem. The theorem may be used to easily reduce large powers modulo n. For example, consider finding the last decimal digit of 7222, i.e. 7222 mod 10. Note that 7 and 10 are coprime, and φ(10) = 4. So Euler's theorem yields 74 = 1 (mod 10), and we get 7222 = 74·55 + 2 = (74)55·72 = 155·72 = 49 = 9 (mod 10). In general, when reducing a power of a modulo n (where a and n are coprime), one needs to work modulo φ(n) in the exponent of a:
if x = y (mod φ(n)), then ax = ay (mod n).

Proofs of Euler's theorem

Leonhard Euler published a proof in 1736. Using modern terminology, one may prove the theorem as follows: the numbers a which are relatively prime to n form a group under multiplication mod n, the group of units of the ring Z/nZ. This group has φ(n) elements, and the statement of Euler's theorem follows then from Lagrange's theorem. Another direct proof: if a is coprime to n, then multiplication by a permutes the residue classes mod n that are coprime to n; in other words (writing R for the set consisting of the φ(n) different such classes) the sets { x : x in R } and { ax : x in R } are equal; therefore, their products are equal. Hence, P = aφ(n)P (mod n) where P is the first of those products. Since P is coprime to n, it follows that aφ(n) = 1 (mod n). The Mizar project has completely formalized and automatically checked a proof of Euler's theorem in the EULER_2 file.

 

<< PreviousWord BrowserNext >>
very high frequency
choke (novel)
national inventors hall of fame
philip ii, duke of burgundy
louis of savoy
amadeus ix of savoy
ge'ez language
philibert i of savoy
charles i of savoy
vigenre cipher
philip ii, duke of savoy
philibert ii, duke of savoy
charles ii of savoy
boston bruins
charles emmanuel i, duke of savoy
victor amadeus i, duke of savoy
francis hyacinth, duke of savoy
charles emmanuel ii, duke of savoy
2002 karachi consulate attack
victor amadeus ii of sardinia
puteoli
charles emmanuel iii of sardinia
kalgoorlie
prophecies of malachi
victor amadeus iii of sardinia
charles emmanuel iv of sardinia
potiphar
vanir
ferdinand i of bulgaria
victor emmanuel i of sardinia
charles felix of sardinia
pool of siloam
ralph craig
charles albert of sardinia
fulla
tatra (car)
gna
hlin
pi hahiroth
savoy carignano
thomas francis, prince of carignano
eir
phinehas
saga