Chapter 9: Problem 13
Sei \(p\) eine Primzahl. Bestimmen Sie \(\left|\mathbf{Z}_{p}{ }^{*}\right|\) und \(\left|\mathbf{Z}_{p^{2}}^{*}\right|\)
Short Answer
Expert verified
\( \left|\mathbf{Z}_{p}^{*}\right| = p-1 \) and \( \left|\mathbf{Z}_{p^{2}}^{*}\right| = p(p-1) \).
Step by step solution
01
Understanding the Problem
We need to find the number of elements in the multiplicative group of integers modulo a prime number \( p \) and the multiplicative group of integers modulo \( p^2 \), denoted by \( \left|\mathbf{Z}_{p}^{*}\right| \) and \( \left|\mathbf{Z}_{p^{2}}^{*}\right| \) respectively.
02
Number of Units modulo a Prime
Since \( p \) is a prime number, the multiplicative group \( \mathbf{Z}_{p}^{*} \) consists of all non-zero integers modulo \( p \). Therefore, there are \( p-1 \) such integers (i.e., 1 through \( p-1 \)). Thus, \( \left|\mathbf{Z}_{p}^{*}\right| = p-1 \).
03
Number of Units modulo a Prime Squared
For the group \( \mathbf{Z}_{p^2}^{*} \), we use Euler's totient function \( \varphi \). The formula for \( \varphi(n) \) is \( n \left( 1 - \frac{1}{p} \right) \) when \( n = p^k \). So for \( n = p^2 \), we have \( \varphi(p^2) = p^2 - p = p(p-1) \).
04
Combine Results
We have found \( \left|\mathbf{Z}_{p}^{*}\right| = p-1 \) and \( \left|\mathbf{Z}_{p^{2}}^{*}\right| = p(p-1) \).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Prime Number
A prime number is a natural number greater than 1 that has no positive divisors other than 1 and itself. Prime numbers are the building blocks of numbers and play a crucial role in various branches of mathematics, including number theory and cryptography. Here are a few key features of prime numbers:
- A prime number cannot be divided evenly by any other number apart from 1 and itself. For example, 7 is a prime number because it cannot be divided by any other number except 1 and 7.
- The number 2 is the smallest and the only even prime number. Every other even number can be divided by 2, and hence, cannot be prime.
- Integers larger than 2 can either be prime or composite (i.e., they have divisors other than 1 and itself). For instance, 9 is not a prime number because it can be divided by 3.
Euler's Totient Function
Euler's Totient Function, denoted as \( \varphi(n) \), is a crucial concept in number theory that counts the number of integers up to a given integer \( n \) that are relatively prime to \( n \). Here's how it works:
- For a prime number \( p \), the function is straightforward: \( \varphi(p) = p - 1 \). This is because every integer from 1 to \( p-1 \) is relatively prime to \( p \).
- For a power of a prime, say \( n = p^k \), Euler's formula gives the number of units as \( \varphi(p^k) = p^k \left( 1 - \frac{1}{p} \right) = p^k - p^{k-1} \).
- When \( k = 2 \), this simplifies to \( \varphi(p^2) = p^2 - p \), which means there are \( p(p-1) \) numbers less than \( p^2 \) that are coprime with \( p^2 \).
Multiplicative Group
In modular arithmetic, a multiplicative group is composed of numbers that have a multiplicative inverse modulo some number \( n \). Understanding this concept involves recognizing two main points:
- The group \( \mathbf{Z}_n^{*} \) consists of all integers less than \( n \) which are relatively prime to \( n \). These integers can multiply and result in another group member.
- For a prime number \( p \), the multiplicative group \( \mathbf{Z}_p^{*} \) contains \( p-1 \) elements, as all numbers except 0 are divisible only by themselves and 1. Thus, each non-zero element has a modular inverse.
- In a group modulo \( p^2 \), which is the square of a prime, Euler's Totient Function determines the size of the group as \( p(p-1) \). This includes all integers less than \( p^2 \) that are not divisible by \( p \).