Thursday, 9 April 2026

Exercise (6.1).13

Prove that if $a$ has order $2k$ modulo prime $p$ where $p$ is odd then

$$ a^k \equiv -1 \pmod p $$


We're given $a$ has order $2k$ modulo odd prime $p$

$$ a^{2k} \equiv 1 \pmod p $$

That is

$$ (a^{k})^2 \equiv 1 \pmod p $$

By Lemma 4.3, this means $a^k \equiv -1 \pmod p$ or $a^k \equiv 1 \pmod p$.

Since $2k$ is the order of $a$, it is the least integer $j$ such that $2^j \equiv 1 \pmod p$, and so $a^k \not \equiv 1 \pmod p$, leaving only $a^k \equiv -1 \pmod p$.