Tuesday, 17 March 2026

Exercise (5.2).14

Let $\gcd (m, n) = 1$. Prove that 

$$ m^{\phi(n)} + n^{\phi(m)} \equiv 1 \pmod {mn} $$

Hint: Use the Chinese remainder theorem.


Since $\gcd (m, n) = 1$, Euler's Theorem gives us

$$ m^{\phi(n)} \equiv 1 \pmod n $$

$$ n^{\phi(m)} \equiv 1 \pmod m $$

This means, for some integers $j,k$, 

$$ m^{\phi(n)} - 1 = j n $$

$$ n^{\phi(m)} - 1 = k m $$

Multiplying gives us

$$ \begin{align} jk(mn) & = (m^{\phi(n)} -1 ) (n^{\phi(m)} - 1) \\ \\ & = m^{\phi(n)}n^{\phi(m)} - n^{\phi(m)} -  m^{\phi(n)}  + 1 \\ \\ mn(jk - m^{\phi(n)-1}n^{\phi(m)-1}) -1 & = - n^{\phi(m)} -  m^{\phi(n)} \end{align} $$

That is

$$  n^{\phi(m)} +  m^{\phi(n)} = 1 +  mn( m^{\phi(n)-1}n^{\phi(m)-1} - jk)$$

Which is equivalent to

$$ n^{\phi(m)} +  m^{\phi(n)} \equiv 1 \pmod {mn} $$


Note: this didn't require use of the Chinese remainder theorem.