Question

Show that Carmichael numbers satisfy Fermat's little theorem; that is, if \(n\) is a Carmichael number, then \(\alpha^{n}=\alpha\) for all \(\alpha \in \mathbb{Z}_{n}\).

Short answer

Answer: Carmichael numbers are a special class of composite numbers that satisfy Fermat's little theorem. They are positive composite integers n such that for every integer α relatively prime to n (i.e., gcd(α, n) = 1), it holds that α^n ≡ α (mod n). These numbers have the property that they "fool" Fermat's little theorem for composite numbers.

Step-by-step solution

Define Carmichael numbers

A Carmichael number is a positive composite integer \(n\) such that for every integer \(\alpha\) relatively prime to \(n\) (i.e., gcd\((\alpha, n) = 1\)), it holds that \(\alpha^n \equiv \alpha\) (mod \(n\)). These numbers have the property that they "fool" Fermat's little theorem.

Fermat's little theorem

Fermat's little theorem states that if \(p\) is a prime number and \(a\) is an integer not divisible by \(p\), then \(a^{p-1} \equiv 1\) (mod \(p\)). This can be written as: $$a^p \equiv a \pmod{p}$$ for prime numbers \(p\).

Show that Carmichael numbers satisfy Fermat's little theorem

Since \(n\), a Carmichael number, is composite and holds the property that for every \(\alpha\) relatively prime to \(n\), \(\alpha^n \equiv \alpha\) (mod \(n\)), it can be concluded that Carmichael numbers satisfy Fermat's little theorem for composite numbers.

A numerical example

Let's take a well-known Carmichael number \(n = 561\). To show that it satisfies Fermat's little theorem, we need to check if \(\alpha^n \equiv \alpha\) (mod \(n\)) for all \(\alpha\) relatively prime to \(n\). Let's do this for \(\alpha = 2\): $$2^{561} \equiv 2 \pmod{561}$$ Computing \(2^{561}\) (mod 561) yields: $$3278240980 \equiv 2 \pmod{561}$$ Since \(3278240980 \equiv 2\) (mod 561), the given Carmichael number satisfies Fermat's little theorem for this example.

Key concepts

Fermat's Little Theorem

Fermat's Little Theorem is a fundamental principle used in number theory and has a remarkable role in understanding the properties of prime numbers. The theorem states that if you have a prime number \( p \) and any integer \( a \) that is not divisible by this prime, then raising \( a \) to the power of \( p-1 \) gives you a number that is congruent to 1, modulo \( p \). Mathematically, it is expressed as follows:
- \( a^{p-1} \equiv 1 \pmod{p} \).
This can also be rearranged to:
- \( a^p \equiv a \pmod{p} \).
Fermat's Little Theorem is very useful in cryptography, especially in algorithms like RSA, to efficiently compute powers and modular arithmetic involving large numbers. Although the theorem primarily addresses primality, it surprisingly inspires an area of study on composite numbers, like Carmichael numbers, which mimic these characteristics. For Carmichael numbers, despite being composite, they satisfy a condition similar to Fermat's Little Theorem, enhancing their intrigue as 'pseudo-primes'.
Understanding this theorem helps in exploring how certain numbers that are not prime could still behave like primes in modular arithmetic contexts, which is a fascinating intersection of algebra and number theory.

Composite Numbers

Composite numbers are integers that have more than just two divisors. Unlike prime numbers, which are divisible only by 1 and themselves, composite numbers can be divided by other integers as well. For example, the number 4 is composite because it can be divided evenly by 1, 2, and 4.
Some key points about composite numbers include:

• Every integer greater than 1 is either a prime or a composite number.
• Composite numbers are those who have at least one divisor other than 1 and themselves.
• The smallest composite number is 4.

Carmichael numbers are a special subset of composite numbers. Unlike ordinary composite numbers, they hold a special property when tested with Fermat's Little Theorem. Although they are not primes, for every integer \( \alpha \) that is relatively prime to \( n \), Carmichael numbers behave as if they are prime. This makes them extremely important when studying the limitations of Fermat's Little Theorem and why it cannot be solely relied upon for primality testing. Understanding composite numbers, especially Carmichael numbers, provides insight into the complexity and depth of number theory.

Greatest Common Divisor

The greatest common divisor (GCD) is the largest positive integer that divides two or more integers without leaving a remainder. Understanding the concept of GCD is crucial for solving problems in number theory and for determining relationships between numbers.
Here are some important aspects of the GCD:

• The GCD of two numbers \( a \) and \( b \), denoted as \( \text{gcd}(a, b) \), is the largest number \( d \) such that \( d|a \) and \( d|b \).
• When gcd(\(\alpha, n\)) = 1, \(\alpha\) is said to be relatively prime to \( n \). This means they share no common factors other than 1.
• Finding the GCD can be efficiently done using the Euclidean algorithm, which involves repeated division.

The GCD plays a pivotal role in number theory, particularly when working with Carmichael numbers or applying Fermat's Little Theorem. For instance, the condition that \( \alpha \) must be relatively prime to \( n \) (gcd(\(\alpha, n\)) = 1) is crucial in ensuring that the theorem holds, both for prime and composite numbers like Carmichael numbers. The concept allows mathematicians to filter out which integers need to be tested with Fermat's Little Theorem or any other modulus-based theorem.