Math2070 Algebraic Structures B and C

HW4
Charles Li
Due: Mar 8 Fri, 11:59pm
Instructions
1. Hand in your work through Gradescope before the deadline. No late HW will be accepted. You
must match the question number with page number.

2. You have to answer all the questions. Show your steps unless otherwise stated.
3. The scores for each part may be adjusted without further notification. The total score is 100.
Recall Zn and Z∗n .
Let n be a fixed integer, we define
Zn = {0, 1, 2, . . . , n − 1}.
Define a binary operation +n (we also use the notation +Zn ) on Zn by

a +n b = remainder of a + b divided by n

for a, b ∈ Zn .
Define another binary operation ×n by

a ×n b = remainder of ab divided by n

for a, b ∈ Zn .
We know that (Zn , +n ) is a group. Note that (Zn , ×n ) is not a group as 0 has no inverse. Let

Z∗n = {a ∈ Zn : gcd(a, n) = 1}
= {a ∈ Zn : a has multiplicative inverse}.

We have showed that (Z∗n , ×n ) is a group in the class.

Questions
1. (a) Using the Euclidean algorithm, find x, y such that 101x + 27y = gcd(101, 27).
(b) Is 27 in Z∗101 ? If yes, find the multiplicative inverse of 27 in (Z∗101 , ×101 ).
(c) Find x such that 27 ×101 x = 19.
Answer.
(a)

101 = 3 × 27 + 20
27 = 1 × 20 + 7
20 = 2 × 7 + 6
7=1×6+1
6=6×1

So gcd(101, 27) = 1.

1 = 7 − 6 = 7 − (20 − 2 × 7) = 3 × 7 − 20
= 3 × (27 − 1 × 20) − 20 = 3 × 27 − 4 × 20
= 3 × 27 − 4(101 − 3 × 27) = 15 × 27 − 4 × 101.

Hence we can take x = −4, y = 15.

(b) Since gcd(27, 101) = 1, 27 ∈ Z∗101 . From the previous part, 15 × 27 ≡ 1 (mod 101). Hence
∗
15 is the multiplicative inverse of 27 in Z101 .

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 (c) Suppose 27 ×101 x = 19, then

15 ×101 27 ×101 x = 15 ×101 19.

x = 83.
□
2. Let a, b, c be positive integers. Suppose gcd(a, b) = 1, gcd(a, c) = 1. By Bezout’s lemma, there
exist integers x, y, u, v such that ax + by = 1, au + cv = 1.
(a) Expanding (ax + by)(au + cv) = 1, and hence find integers X, Y such that aX + bcY = 1.
Express X, Y in terms of a, b, c, x, y, u, v.
(b) Hence show that gcd(a, bc) = 1.
(c) Suppose n is a positive integer. Using the previous part, show that if x, y ∈ Z∗n , then x ×n y
is also in Z∗n .
Answer.
(a)

(ax + by)(au + cv) = a2 xu + acxv + abyu + bcyv

= a(axu + cxv + byu) + bc(yv).

We can take X = axu + cxv + byu and Y = yv.

(b) Let d = gcd(a, bc). Then d|(aX + bcY ) = 1. Hence d|1. This implies that d = 1.
(c) Since x, y ∈ Z∗n , we have gcd(x, n) = gcd(y, n) = 1. By the pervious part, with a = n, b =
x, c = y, we have gcd(n, xy) = 1. By the division algorithm xy = qn + x ×n y. Hence by
Lemma 6.2
1 = gcd(xy, n) = gcd(x ×n y, n).
This shows that x ×n y ∈ Z∗n .
□
3. Let G = (Z∗11 , ×11 ).
(a) Find 3 ×11 7, 9 ×11 9.
(b) Find the order of 2 ∈ G.
(c) Find the order of 3 ∈ G.
(d) Is G cyclic? If not, explain why not. If yes, find an isomorphism from (Z10 , +10 ) to G.
You can use the following theorem:
Theorem: Suppose G is a finite group with size n. Then G is cyclic if and only if there
exists an element g ∈ G with order n.
Furthermore (Zn , +n ) is isomorphic to G through the following map:

k 7→ g k .

Answer.
(a) 3 × 7 = 21 ≡ 10 (mod 11). Hence 3 ×11 7 = 10.
9 × 9 = 81 ≡ 4 (mod 11). Hence 9 ×11 9 = 4.
(b) 21 ≡ 2 (mod 11), 22 ≡ 4 (mod 11), 23 ≡ 8 (mod 11), 24 ≡ 5 (mod 11), 25 ≡ 10 (mod 11),
26 ≡ 9 (mod 11), 27 ≡ 7 (mod 11), 28 ≡ 3 (mod 11), 29 ≡ 6 (mod 11), 210 ≡ 1 (mod 11).
Hence in (Z∗11 , ×11 ), 21 = 2, 22 = 4, 23 = 8, 24 = 5, 25 = 10, 26 = 9, 27 = 7, 28 = 3, 29 = 6,
210 = 1.
Therefore the order of 2 is 10.
(c) 31 ≡ 3 (mod 11), 32 ≡ 9 (mod 11), 33 ≡ 5 (mod 11), 34 ≡ 4 (mod 11), 35 ≡ 1.
Hence in (Z∗11 , ×11 ), 31 = 3, 32 = 9, 33 = 5, 34 = 4, 35 = 1.

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 (d) Let G = (Z∗11 , ×11 ). Because 2 has order |G| = 10 in G. By the theorem
k → 2k
is an isomorphism from (Z10 , +10 ) to G.
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4. Let G = (Z∗15 , ×15 ).
(a) Show that G is not cyclic by finding the order of every element in G.
(b) Show that the map ϕ : Z2 × Z4 → Z∗15 defined by ϕ(i, j) = (14)i ×15 2j is an isomorphism.
Answer.
(a) Z15 = {1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 11, 13, 14}.
In G, 1 = 1. The order of 1 is 1.
21 = 2, 22 = 4, 23 = 8, 24 = 1. The order of 2 is 4.
41 = 1, 42 = 1. The order of 3 is 2.
71 = 7, 72 = 4, 73 = 13, 74 = 1. The order of 7 is 4.
81 = 8, 82 = 4, 83 = 2, 84 = 1. The order of 8 is 4.
111 = 11, 112 = 1. The order of 11 is 2.
131 = 13, 132 = 4, 133 = 7, 134 = 1. The order of 13 is 4.
141 = 14, 142 = 1. The order of 14 is 1.
There no element in G with order |G| = 8. Hence G is not cyclic.
′
(b) In Z∗15 , the order of 14 is 2, and the order of 2 is 4. Therefore for i ≡ i′ (mod 2), 14i = 14i ,
′ j j′ i j i′ j ′
for j ≡ j (mod 4), 2 = 2 . Hence 14 2 = 14 2 . Therefore ϕ is well-defined.
Next ϕ is a group homomorphism as
′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′
ϕ(i, j)ϕ(i′ , j ′ ) = 14i 2j 14i 2j = 14i+i 2j+j = 14i+2 i 2j+2 j = ϕ(i + i′ , j + j ′ ).
Finally ϕ(0, 0) = 1, ϕ(0, 1) = 2, ϕ(0, 2) = 4, ϕ(0, 3) = 8
ϕ(1, 0) = 14, ϕ(1, 1) = 13, ϕ(1, 2) = 11, ϕ(1, 14) = 7.
Hence ϕ is surjective. Because |Z2 × Z4 | = 2 × 4 = 8 and Z15 = 8. These two sets have the
same number of elements. Hence ϕ is also injective and therefore an isomorphism.
□
5. (a) Using the Euclidean algorithm, find the multiplicative inverse of 35, mod 48, i.e., find x such
that
35x ≡ 1 (mod 48).
(b) Find all the solutions of the following system of congruences
x≡7 (mod 35),
x ≡ 13 (mod 48).

Answer.
(a)
48 = 1 × 35 + 13
35 = 2 × 13 + 9
13 = 1 × 9 + 4
9=2×4+1
4 = 4 × 1.

1 = 9 − 2 × 4 = 9 − 2(13 − 1 × 9)
= 3 × 9 − 2 × 13 = 3 × (35 − 2 × 13) − 2 × 13
= 3 × 35 − 8 × 13 = 3 × 35 − 8(48 − 1 × 35)
= 11 × 35 − 8 × 48.

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 Thus
1 ≡ 11 × 35 (mod 48).
Hence we can take x ≡ 11 (mod 48).
(b) Since x ≡ 7 (mod 35), x = 35t + 7 for some integer t. Substituting x into the congruence
x ≡ 11 (mod 48):
35t + 7 ≡ 13 (mod 48).
Hence
35t ≡ 13 − 7 ≡ 6 (mod 48).
11 × 35t ≡ 11 × 6 (mod 48).
t ≡ 18 (mod 48).
Hence
x ≡ 35 × 18 + 7 ≡ 637 (mod 35 × 48).
□
6. Recall Corollary 4.4:
If a group G is finite, then for all g ∈ G, we have g |G| = e.

(a) Let p be a prime number. Show that for any integer a not divisible by p, we have

ap−1 ≡ 1 (mod p).

(Hint: consider the group (Z∗p , ×p ))

(b) Let p = 101 be a prime. Find the remainder of 3100002 divided by p.
(Hint: By the division algorithm 100002 = 1000 × 100 + 2.)
Answer.
(a) As (Z∗p , ×p ) is a group with elements {1, 2, . . . , p − 1}, |Z∗p | = p − 1. For any integer a not
divisible by p, we may view it as an element in (Z∗p , ×p ), then ap−1 ≡ 1 (mod p).
(b) By part (a), 3100 ≡ 1 (mod p), then 3100002 = 32 × (3100 )1000 ≡ 9 × 1 ≡ 9 (mod 101).
□
7. Let m, n be two positive integers. Define a map

ϕ : Zmn → Zm × Zn

by
a 7→ (remainder of a divided by m, remainder of a divided by n)
(a) Show that ϕ is a group homomorphism.
(b) Suppose gcd(m, n) = 1, find ker ϕ.
(Hint: if gcd(m, n) = 1, then lcm(m, n) = mn.)
(c) Suppose gcd(m, n) = 1, show that ϕ is an isomorphism.
(Hint: |Zmn | = |Zm × Zn | and ϕ is one-to-one.)
(d) Suppose gcd(m, n) = 1. From the previous part, show that for any integers r1 and r2 , there
exists an integer a, such that a ≡ r1 (mod m) and a ≡ r2 (mod n). This is essentially the
Chinese remainder theorem.
(e) If gcd(m, n) > 1, show that | ker ϕ| ≥ 2 and hence show that ϕ is not an isomorphism.
(Hint: gcd(m, n) lcm(m, n) = mn.)
Answer.

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 (a) In below we use the fact that if x ≡ y (mod mn), then x ≡ y (mod m) and x ≡ y (mod n).
Note that
a + b ≡ a +mn b (mod mn),
hence
a + b ≡ a +mn b (mod m), a + b ≡ a +mn b (mod n).
Therefore
a +mn b ≡ a + b ≡ a +m b (mod m)
a +mn b ≡ a + b ≡ a +n b (mod n)
It follows that

ϕ(a + b) = ((a + b) mod m, (a + b) mod n) = ((a +m b), (a +n b)) = ϕ(a) + ϕ(b).

(b) For x ∈ ker ϕ, we have x ≡ 0 (mod m) and x ≡ 0 (mod n), which means m | x and n | x,
then lcm(m, n) = mn | x, thus x = 0 in Zmn , hence ker ϕ = {0}.
(c) As ker ϕ = {0} and ϕ is a homomorphism, ϕ is injective. Since ϕ is injective and |Zmn | =
|Zm × Zn | = |Zm ||Zn | = mn, it is also surjective, hence ϕ is an isomorphism.
(d) As ϕ is surjective, then for (r1 , r2 ) ∈ Zm × Zn , there exists a ∈ Zmn such that ϕ(a) = (r1 , r2 ),
then a ≡ r1 (mod m) and a ≡ r2 (mod n).
mn
(e) Consider x = gcd(m,n) ,
x n
= ∈Z
m gcd(m, n)
and
x m
= ∈ Z.
n gcd(m, n)
Hence
m|x, n|x.
This implies ϕ(x) = 0. However, as gcd(m, n) > 1, 0 < x < mn, so 0 ̸= x ∈ Zmn . hence ϕ is
not injective. Therefore, ϕ is not an isomorphism.
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8. Let ϕ be the function given in the previous question. Let ψ be the restriction of ϕ to Z∗mn . Show
that

(a) If a ∈ Z∗mn , then ψ(a) ∈ Z∗m × Z∗n .

(Hint: gcd(a, b)| gcd(a, bc))
(b) Suppose gcd(m, n) = 1, show that

ψ : Z∗mn → Z∗m × Z∗n

is an isomorphism.
(Hint: By Q2, gcd(a, m) = 1, gcd(a, n) = 1, then gcd(a, mn) = 1. Also use the fact that ϕ is
an isomorphism.)
(c) Hence show that |Z∗mn | = |Z∗m ||Z∗n | if gcd(m, n) = 1.

Answer.
(a) If a ∈ Z∗mn , then gcd(a, mn) = 1. By the hint, gcd(a, m)| gcd(a, mn) = 1, gcd(a, n)| gcd(a, mn) =
1. Hence gcd(a, m) = gcd(a, n) = 1, thus a mod m ∈ Z∗m and a mod n ∈ Z∗n . Therefore,
ψ(a) ∈ Z∗m × Z∗n .

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(b) We first show that ψ is a group homomorphism. The proof is similar to the previous question
part(a) but replacing addition by multiplication:

a × b ≡ a ×mn b (mod mn),

hence
a × b ≡ a ×mn b (mod m), a × b ≡ a ×mn b (mod n).
Therefore
a ×mn b ≡ a × b ≡ a ×m b (mod m)
a ×mn b ≡ a × b ≡ a ×n b (mod n)
It follows that

ψ(a × b) = ((a × b) mod m, (a × b) mod n) = ((a ×m b), (a ×n b)) = ψ(a) × ψ(b).

As ϕ is injective and ψ is the restriction of ϕ to Z∗mn , ψ is also injective. For any (r1 , r2 ) ∈
Z∗m ×Z∗n , as ϕ is surjective, there exists a ∈ Zmn such that ϕ(a) = (r1 , r2 ), which means a ≡ r1
(mod m), a ≡ r2 (mod n). As (r1 , r2 ) ∈ Z∗m × Z∗n , we have gcd(r1 , m) = gcd(r2 , n) = 1, then
gcd(a, m) = gcd(a, n) = 1, thus gcd(a, mn) = 1. Therefore, a ∈ Z∗mn , hence ψ is also
surjective. Therefore, ψ is an isomorphism.
(c) Since ψ is an isomorphism if gcd(m, n) = 1 , it is bijective, hence |Z∗mn | = |Z∗m ||Z∗n |.