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<ol class="chapter"><li class="chapter-item expanded affix "><a href="../index.html">halo2</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../concepts.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">1.</strong> Concepts</a></li><li><ol class="section"><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../concepts/proofs.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">1.1.</strong> Proof systems</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../concepts/arithmetization.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">1.2.</strong> UltraPLONK Arithmetization</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../concepts/chips.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">1.3.</strong> Chips</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../concepts/gadgets.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">1.4.</strong> Gadgets</a></li></ol></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../user.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">2.</strong> User Documentation</a></li><li><ol class="section"><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../user/dev-tools.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">2.1.</strong> Developer tools</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../user/simple-example.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">2.2.</strong> A simple example</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../user/lookup-tables.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">2.3.</strong> Lookup tables</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../user/gadgets.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">2.4.</strong> Gadgets</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../user/tips-and-tricks.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">2.5.</strong> Tips and tricks</a></li></ol></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../design.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">3.</strong> Design</a></li><li><ol class="section"><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../design/proving-system.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">3.1.</strong> Proving system</a></li><li><ol class="section"><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../design/proving-system/lookup.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">3.1.1.</strong> Lookup argument</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../design/proving-system/permutation.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">3.1.2.</strong> Permutation argument</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../design/proving-system/circuit-commitments.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">3.1.3.</strong> Circuit commitments</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../design/proving-system/vanishing.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">3.1.4.</strong> Vanishing argument</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../design/proving-system/multipoint-opening.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">3.1.5.</strong> Multipoint opening argument</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../design/proving-system/inner-product.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">3.1.6.</strong> Inner product argument</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../design/proving-system/comparison.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">3.1.7.</strong> Comparison to other work</a></li></ol></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../design/implementation.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">3.2.</strong> Implementation</a></li><li><ol class="section"><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../design/implementation/proofs.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">3.2.1.</strong> Proofs</a></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../design/implementation/fields.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">3.2.2.</strong> Fields</a></li></ol></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../design/gadgets.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">3.3.</strong> Gadgets</a></li><li><ol class="section"><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../design/gadgets/sha256.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">3.3.1.</strong> SHA-256</a></li><li><ol class="section"><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../design/gadgets/sha256/table16.html"><strong aria-hidden="true">3.3.1.1.</strong> 16-bit table chip</a></li></ol></li></ol></li></ol></li><li class="chapter-item expanded "><a href="../background.html"><strong aria-hidden
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<h1 class="menu-title">The halo2 Book</h1>
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<h1 id="fields"><a class="header" href="#fields">Fields</a></h1>
<p>A fundamental component of many cryptographic protocols is the algebraic structure known
as a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field_(mathematics)">field</a>. Fields are sets of objects (usually numbers) with two associated binary
operators <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.66666em;vertical-align:-0.08333em;"></span><span class="mord">+</span></span></span></span> and <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.66666em;vertical-align:-0.08333em;"></span><span class="mord">×</span></span></span></span> such that various <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field_(mathematics)#Classic_definition">field axioms</a> hold. The real
numbers <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.68889em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathbb">R</span></span></span></span> are an example of a field with an uncountably infinite number of
elements.</p>
<p>Halo makes use of <em>finite fields</em> which have a finite number of elements. Finite fields
are fully classified as follows:</p>
<ul>
<li>if <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.68889em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathbb">F</span></span></span></span> is a finite field, it contains <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mord"></span><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="mord"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.043548em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.849108em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> elements for some
integer <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.83041em;vertical-align:-0.13597em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span></span></span></span> and some prime <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.625em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span></span></span></span>;</li>
<li>any two finite fields with the same number of elements are isomorphic. In particular,
all of the arithmetic in a prime field <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.974998em;vertical-align:-0.286108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.15139200000000003em;"><span style="top:-2.5500000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.286108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> is isomorphic to addition and
multiplication of integers modulo <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.625em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span></span></span></span>, i.e. in <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.974998em;vertical-align:-0.286108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">Z</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.15139200000000003em;"><span style="top:-2.5500000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.286108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>. This is why we often
refer to <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.625em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span></span></span></span> as the <em>modulus</em>.</li>
</ul>
<p>We'll write a field as <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.974998em;vertical-align:-0.286108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.15139200000000003em;"><span style="top:-2.5500000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">q</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.286108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> where <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.625em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">q</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.043548em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.849108em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>. The prime <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.625em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span></span></span></span> is called its
<em>characteristic</em>. In the cases where <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.73354em;vertical-align:-0.0391em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">&gt;</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span></span></span></span> the field <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.974998em;vertical-align:-0.286108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.15139200000000003em;"><span style="top:-2.5500000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">q</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.286108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> is a <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span>-degree
extension of the field <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.974998em;vertical-align:-0.286108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.15139200000000003em;"><span style="top:-2.5500000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.286108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>. (By analogy, the complex numbers
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.68889em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathbb">C</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mord mathbb">R</span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord mathnormal">i</span><span class="mclose">)</span></span></span></span> are an extension of the real numbers.) However, in Halo we do
not use extension fields. Whenever we write <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.974998em;vertical-align:-0.286108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.15139200000000003em;"><span style="top:-2.5500000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.286108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> we are referring to what
we call a <em>prime field</em> which has a prime <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.625em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span></span></span></span> number of elements, i.e. <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span></span></span></span>.</p>
<p>Important notes:</p>
<ul>
<li>There are two special elements in any field: <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">0</span></span></span></span>, the additive identity, and
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span></span></span></span>, the multiplicative identity.</li>
<li>The least significant bit of a field element, when represented as an integer in binary
format, can be interpreted as its &quot;sign&quot; to help distinguish it from its additive
inverse (negation). This is because for some nonzero element <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span></span></span></span> which has a least
significant bit <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">0</span></span></span></span> we have that <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.66666em;vertical-align:-0.08333em;"></span><span class="mord"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7777700000000001em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span></span></span></span> has a least significant bit <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span></span></span></span>, and vice
versa. We could also use whether or not an element is larger than <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span><span class="mclose">)</span><span class="mord">/2</span></span></span></span> to give
it a &quot;sign.&quot;</li>
</ul>
<p>Finite fields will be useful later for constructing <a href="polynomials.html">polynomials</a> and
<a href="curves.html">elliptic curves</a>. Elliptic curves are examples of groups, which we discuss
next.</p>
<h2 id="groups"><a class="header" href="#groups">Groups</a></h2>
<p>Groups are simpler and more limited than fields; they have only one binary operator <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.44445em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"></span></span></span></span>
and fewer axioms. They also have an identity, which we'll denote as <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span></span></span></span>.</p>
<p>Any non-zero element <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span></span></span></span> in a group has an <em>inverse</em> <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"></span><span class="mord mtight">1</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>,
which is the <em>unique</em> element <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span></span></span></span> such that <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.44445em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span></span></span></span>.</p>
<p>For example, the set of nonzero elements of <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.974998em;vertical-align:-0.286108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.15139200000000003em;"><span style="top:-2.5500000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.286108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> forms a group, where the
group operation is given by multiplication on the field.</p>
<blockquote>
<h4 id="aside-additive-vs-multiplicative-notation"><a class="header" href="#aside-additive-vs-multiplicative-notation">(aside) Additive vs multiplicative notation</a></h4>
<p>If <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.44445em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"></span></span></span></span> is written as <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.66666em;vertical-align:-0.08333em;"></span><span class="mord">×</span></span></span></span> or omitted (i.e. <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.44445em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span></span></span></span> written as <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">ab</span></span></span></span>), the
identity as <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span></span></span></span>, and inversion as <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"></span><span class="mord mtight">1</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>, as we did above, then we say that the group
is &quot;written multiplicatively&quot;. If <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.44445em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"></span></span></span></span> is written as <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.66666em;vertical-align:-0.08333em;"></span><span class="mord">+</span></span></span></span>, the identity as <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">0</span></span></span></span> or
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.68333em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathcal" style="margin-right:0.02778em;">O</span></span></span></span>, and inversion as <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.66666em;vertical-align:-0.08333em;"></span><span class="mord"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span></span></span></span>, then we say it is &quot;written additively&quot;.</p>
<p>It's conventional to use additive notation for elliptic curve groups, and multiplicative
notation when the elements come from a finite field.</p>
<p>When additive notation is used, we also write</p>
<p><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">[</span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span><span class="mclose">]</span><span class="mord mathnormal">A</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:2.100768em;vertical-align:-1.417438em;"></span><span class="mord munder"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.68333em;"><span style="top:-1.582562em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span><span class="mord text mtight"><span class="mord mtight"> times</span></span></span></span></span><span style="top:-3em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="mord munder"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.68333em;"><span class="svg-align" style="top:-2.26867em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="stretchy" style="height:0.548em;min-width:1.6em;"><span class="brace-left" style="height:0.548em;"><svg width='400em' height='0.548em' viewBox='0 0 400000 548' preserveAspectRatio='xMinYMin slice'><path d='M0 6l6-6h17c12.688 0 19.313.3 20 1 4 4 7.313 8.3 10 13
35.313 51.3 80.813 93.8 136.5 127.5 55.688 33.7 117.188 55.8 184.5 66.5.688
0 2 .3 4 1 18.688 2.7 76 4.3 172 5h399450v120H429l-6-1c-124.688-8-235-61.7
-331-161C60.687 138.7 32.312 99.3 7 54L0 41V6z'/></svg></span><span class="brace-center" style="height:0.548em;"><svg width='400em' height='0.548em' viewBox='0 0 400000 548' preserveAspectRatio='xMidYMin slice'><path d='M199572 214
c100.7 8.3 195.3 44 280 108 55.3 42 101.7 93 139 153l9 14c2.7-4 5.7-8.7 9-14
53.3-86.7 123.7-153 211-199 66.7-36 137.3-56.3 212-62h199568v120H200432c-178.3
11.7-311.7 78.3-403 201-6 8-9.7 12-11 12-.7.7-6.7 1-18 1s-17.3-.3-18-1c-1.3 0
-5-4-11-12-44.7-59.3-101.3-106.3-170-141s-145.3-54.3-229-60H0V214z'/></svg></span><span class="brace-right" style="height:0.548em;"><svg width='400em' height='0.548em' viewBox='0 0 400000 548' preserveAspectRatio='xMaxYMin slice'><path d='M399994 0l6 6v35l-6 11c-56 104-135.3 181.3-238 232-57.3
28.7-117 45-179 50H-300V214h399897c43.3-7 81-15 113-26 100.7-33 179.7-91 237
-174 2.7-5 6-9 10-13 .7-1 7.3-1 20-1h17z'/></svg></span></span></span><span style="top:-3em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">A</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin">+</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">A</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin">+</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="minner"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin">+</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">A</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.73133em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:1.417438em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p>for nonnegative <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span> and call this &quot;scalar multiplication&quot;; we also often use uppercase
letters for variables denoting group elements. When multiplicative notation is used, we
also write</p>
<p><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8991079999999999em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8991079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:2.000768em;vertical-align:-1.417438em;"></span><span class="mord munder"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.5833299999999999em;"><span style="top:-1.582562em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span><span class="mord text mtight"><span class="mord mtight"> times</span></span></span></span></span><span style="top:-3em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="mord munder"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.58333em;"><span class="svg-align" style="top:-2.26867em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="stretchy" style="height:0.548em;min-width:1.6em;"><span class="brace-left" style="height:0.548em;"><svg width='400em' height='0.548em' viewBox='0 0 400000 548' preserveAspectRatio='xMinYMin slice'><path d='M0 6l6-6h17c12.688 0 19.313.3 20 1 4 4 7.313 8.3 10 13
35.313 51.3 80.813 93.8 136.5 127.5 55.688 33.7 117.188 55.8 184.5 66.5.688
0 2 .3 4 1 18.688 2.7 76 4.3 172 5h399450v120H429l-6-1c-124.688-8-235-61.7
-331-161C60.687 138.7 32.312 99.3 7 54L0 41V6z'/></svg></span><span class="brace-center" style="height:0.548em;"><svg width='400em' height='0.548em' viewBox='0 0 400000 548' preserveAspectRatio='xMidYMin slice'><path d='M199572 214
c100.7 8.3 195.3 44 280 108 55.3 42 101.7 93 139 153l9 14c2.7-4 5.7-8.7 9-14
53.3-86.7 123.7-153 211-199 66.7-36 137.3-56.3 212-62h199568v120H200432c-178.3
11.7-311.7 78.3-403 201-6 8-9.7 12-11 12-.7.7-6.7 1-18 1s-17.3-.3-18-1c-1.3 0
-5-4-11-12-44.7-59.3-101.3-106.3-170-141s-145.3-54.3-229-60H0V214z'/></svg></span><span class="brace-right" style="height:0.548em;"><svg width='400em' height='0.548em' viewBox='0 0 400000 548' preserveAspectRatio='xMaxYMin slice'><path d='M399994 0l6 6v35l-6 11c-56 104-135.3 181.3-238 232-57.3
28.7-117 45-179 50H-300V214h399897c43.3-7 81-15 113-26 100.7-33 179.7-91 237
-174 2.7-5 6-9 10-13 .7-1 7.3-1 20-1h17z'/></svg></span></span></span><span style="top:-3em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin">×</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin">×</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="minner"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin">×</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.73133em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:1.417438em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p>and call this &quot;exponentiation&quot;. In either case we call the scalar <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span> such that
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">[</span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span><span class="mclose">]</span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">g</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span></span></span></span> or <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.043548em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">g</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.849108em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span></span></span></span> the &quot;discrete logarithm&quot; of <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span></span></span></span> to base <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.625em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">g</span></span></span></span>. We can extend
scalars to negative integers by inversion, i.e. <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">[</span><span class="mord"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span><span class="mclose">]</span><span class="mord mathnormal">A</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin">+</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">[</span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span><span class="mclose">]</span><span class="mord mathnormal">A</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.68333em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathcal" style="margin-right:0.02778em;">O</span></span></span></span> or
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.9324379999999999em;vertical-align:-0.08333em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8491079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"></span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin">×</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.849108em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.849108em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span></span></span></span>.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The <em>order</em> of an element <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span></span></span></span> of a finite group is defined as the smallest positive integer
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span> such that <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.849108em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.849108em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span></span></span></span> (in multiplicative notation) or <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">[</span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span><span class="mclose">]</span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.68333em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathcal" style="margin-right:0.02778em;">O</span></span></span></span> (in additive
notation). The order <em>of the group</em> is the number of elements.</p>
<p>Groups always have a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generating_set_of_a_group">generating set</a>, which is a set of elements such that we can produce
any element of the group as (in multiplicative terminology) a product of powers of those
elements. So if the generating set is <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.625em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">g</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.33610799999999996em;"><span style="top:-2.5500000000000003em;margin-left:-0.03588em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">1..</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.15em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>, we can produce any element of the group
as <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:2.513782em;vertical-align:-0.9776689999999999em;"></span><span class="mop op-limits"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:1.5361130000000003em;"><span style="top:-2.122331em;margin-left:0em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span><span class="mrel mtight">=</span><span class="mord mtight">1</span></span></span></span><span style="top:-3.0000050000000003em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span><span class="mop op-symbol small-op"></span></span></span><span style="top:-3.950005em;margin-left:0em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.9776689999999999em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.16666666666666666em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">g</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.746292em;"><span style="top:-2.4231360000000004em;margin-left:-0.03588em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span><span style="top:-3.1449000000000003em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.3280857142857143em;"><span style="top:-2.357em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.07142857142857144em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.5em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size3 size1 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.143em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.276864em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>. There can be many different generating sets for a
given group.</p>
<p>A group is called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclic_group">cyclic</a> if it has a (not necessarily unique) generating set with only
a single element — call it <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.625em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">g</span></span></span></span>. In that case we can say that <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.625em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">g</span></span></span></span> generates the group, and
that the order of <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.625em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">g</span></span></span></span> is the order of the group.</p>
<p>Any finite cyclic group <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.68889em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathbb">G</span></span></span></span> of order <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">n</span></span></span></span> is <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isomorphism">isomorphic</a> to the integers
modulo <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">n</span></span></span></span> (denoted <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mord mathbb">Z</span><span class="mord">/</span><span class="mord mathnormal">n</span><span class="mord mathbb">Z</span></span></span></span>), such that:</p>
<ul>
<li>the operation <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.44445em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"></span></span></span></span> in <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.68889em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathbb">G</span></span></span></span> corresponds to addition modulo <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">n</span></span></span></span>;</li>
<li>the identity in <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.68889em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathbb">G</span></span></span></span> corresponds to <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">0</span></span></span></span>;</li>
<li>some generator <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7335400000000001em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">g</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.68889em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathbb">G</span></span></span></span> corresponds to <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span></span></span></span>.</li>
</ul>
<p>Given a generator <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.625em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">g</span></span></span></span>, the isomorphism is always easy to compute in the
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mord mathbb">Z</span><span class="mord">/</span><span class="mord mathnormal">n</span><span class="mord mathbb">Z</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.68889em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathbb">G</span></span></span></span> direction; it is just <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.522em;vertical-align:-0.011em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.858832em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">g</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.664392em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">a</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
(or in additive notation, <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.522em;vertical-align:-0.011em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">[</span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mclose">]</span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">g</span></span></span></span>).
It may be difficult in general to compute in the <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.68889em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathbb">G</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mord mathbb">Z</span><span class="mord">/</span><span class="mord mathnormal">n</span><span class="mord mathbb">Z</span></span></span></span>
direction; we'll discuss this further when we come to <a href="curves.html">elliptic curves</a>.</p>
<p>If the order <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">n</span></span></span></span> of a finite group is prime, then the group is cyclic, and every
non-identity element is a generator.</p>
<h3 id="the-multiplicative-group-of-a-finite-field"><a class="header" href="#the-multiplicative-group-of-a-finite-field">The multiplicative group of a finite field</a></h3>
<p>We use the notation <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.154439em;vertical-align:-0.383108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.771331em;"><span style="top:-2.4530000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mbin mtight">×</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.383108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> for the multiplicative group (i.e. the group
operation is multiplication in <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.974998em;vertical-align:-0.286108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.15139200000000003em;"><span style="top:-2.5500000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.286108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>) over the set <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.974998em;vertical-align:-0.286108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.15139200000000003em;"><span style="top:-2.5500000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.286108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">{</span><span class="mord">0</span><span class="mclose">}</span></span></span></span>.</p>
<p>A quick way of obtaining the inverse in <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.154439em;vertical-align:-0.383108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.771331em;"><span style="top:-2.4530000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mbin mtight">×</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.383108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> is <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"></span><span class="mord mtight">1</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span><span class="mbin mtight"></span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>.
The reason for this stems from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermat%27s_little_theorem">Fermat's little theorem</a>, which states
that <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.664392em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.664392em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mspace allowbreak"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.4444444444444444em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathrm">mod</span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.3333333333333333em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span><span class="mclose">)</span></span></span></span> for any integer <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span></span></span></span>. If <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span></span></span></span> is nonzero, we can divide by <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span></span></span></span> twice
to get <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span><span class="mbin mtight"></span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"></span><span class="mord mtight">1</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mord">.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p>Let's assume that <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span></span></span></span> is a generator of <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.154439em;vertical-align:-0.383108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.771331em;"><span style="top:-2.4530000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mbin mtight">×</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.383108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>, so it has order <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7777700000000001em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span></span></span></span>
(equal to the number of elements in <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.154439em;vertical-align:-0.383108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.771331em;"><span style="top:-2.4530000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mbin mtight">×</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.383108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>). Therefore, for any element in
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.5782em;vertical-align:-0.0391em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.154439em;vertical-align:-0.383108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.771331em;"><span style="top:-2.4530000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mbin mtight">×</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.383108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> there is a unique integer <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69862em;vertical-align:-0.0391em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">i</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">{</span><span class="mord">0..</span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mord">2</span><span class="mclose">}</span></span></span></span> such that <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.824664em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.824664em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>.</p>
<p>Notice that <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.66666em;vertical-align:-0.08333em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin">×</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span></span></span></span> where <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8888799999999999em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mpunct">,</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.16666666666666666em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.154439em;vertical-align:-0.383108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.771331em;"><span style="top:-2.4530000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mbin mtight">×</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.383108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> can really be interpreted as
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.907994em;vertical-align:-0.08333em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.824664em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin">×</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.824664em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.824664em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.05724em;">j</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> where <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.824664em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.824664em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> and <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.824664em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.824664em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.05724em;">j</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>. Indeed, it holds that
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.907994em;vertical-align:-0.08333em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.824664em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin">×</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.824664em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.824664em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.05724em;">j</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.824664em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.824664em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.05724em;">j</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> for all <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.78041em;vertical-align:-0.13597em;"></span><span class="mord">0</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.85396em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">i</span><span class="mpunct">,</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.16666666666666666em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05724em;">j</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">&lt;</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7777700000000001em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span></span></span></span>. As a result
the multiplication of nonzero field elements can be interpreted as addition modulo <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7777700000000001em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span></span></span></span>
with respect to some fixed generator <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span></span></span></span>. The addition just happens &quot;in the exponent.&quot;</p>
<p>This is another way to look at where <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span><span class="mbin mtight"></span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> comes from for computing inverses in the
field:</p>
<p><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7777700000000001em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">2</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.72777em;vertical-align:-0.08333em;"></span><span class="mord"></span><span class="mord">1</span><span class="mspace allowbreak"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:1em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathrm">mod</span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.3333333333333333em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span><span class="mclose">)</span><span class="mpunct">,</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p>so <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span><span class="mbin mtight"></span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"></span><span class="mord mtight">1</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>.</p>
<h3 id="montgomerys-trick"><a class="header" href="#montgomerys-trick">Montgomery's Trick</a></h3>
<p>Montgomery's trick, named after Peter Montgomery (RIP) is a way to compute many group
inversions at the same time. It is commonly used to compute inversions in
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.154439em;vertical-align:-0.383108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.771331em;"><span style="top:-2.4530000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mbin mtight">×</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.383108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>, which are quite computationally expensive compared to multiplication.</p>
<p>Imagine we need to compute the inverses of three nonzero elements <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8888799999999999em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mpunct">,</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.16666666666666666em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="mpunct">,</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.16666666666666666em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">c</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.154439em;vertical-align:-0.383108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.771331em;"><span style="top:-2.4530000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mbin mtight">×</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.383108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>.
Instead, we'll compute the products <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">x</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">ab</span></span></span></span> and <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.625em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">y</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">x</span><span class="mord mathnormal">c</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">ab</span><span class="mord mathnormal">c</span></span></span></span>, and compute the inversion</p>
<p><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.058548em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">y</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.864108em;"><span style="top:-3.1130000000000004em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span><span class="mbin mtight"></span><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:2.00744em;vertical-align:-0.686em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mopen nulldelimiter"></span><span class="mfrac"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:1.32144em;"><span style="top:-2.314em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">ab</span><span class="mord mathnormal">c</span></span></span><span style="top:-3.23em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="frac-line" style="border-bottom-width:0.04em;"></span></span><span style="top:-3.677em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord">1</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.686em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mclose nulldelimiter"></span></span><span class="mord">.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p>We can now multiply <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span> by <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">x</span></span></span></span> to obtain <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.190108em;vertical-align:-0.345em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mopen nulldelimiter"></span><span class="mfrac"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.845108em;"><span style="top:-2.6550000000000002em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">c</span></span></span></span><span style="top:-3.23em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="frac-line" style="border-bottom-width:0.04em;"></span></span><span style="top:-3.394em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">1</span></span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.345em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mclose nulldelimiter"></span></span></span></span></span> and multiply <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.04398em;">z</span></span></span></span> by <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">c</span></span></span></span> to obtain
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.190108em;vertical-align:-0.345em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mopen nulldelimiter"></span><span class="mfrac"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.845108em;"><span style="top:-2.6550000000000002em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">ab</span></span></span></span><span style="top:-3.23em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="frac-line" style="border-bottom-width:0.04em;"></span></span><span style="top:-3.394em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">1</span></span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.345em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mclose nulldelimiter"></span></span></span></span></span>, which we can then multiply by <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8888799999999999em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mpunct">,</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.16666666666666666em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span></span></span></span> to obtain their respective inverses.</p>
<p>This technique generalizes to arbitrary numbers of group elements with just a single
inversion necessary.</p>
<h2 id="multiplicative-subgroups"><a class="header" href="#multiplicative-subgroups">Multiplicative subgroups</a></h2>
<p>A <em>subgroup</em> of a group <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.68333em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">G</span></span></span></span> with operation <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.44445em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"></span></span></span></span>, is a subset of elements of <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.68333em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">G</span></span></span></span> that
also form a group under <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.44445em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"></span></span></span></span>.</p>
<p>In the previous section we said that <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span></span></span></span> is a generator of the <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span><span class="mclose">)</span></span></span></span>-order
multiplicative group <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.154439em;vertical-align:-0.383108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.771331em;"><span style="top:-2.4530000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mbin mtight">×</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.383108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>. This group has <em>composite</em> order, and so by
the Chinese remainder theorem<sup class="footnote-reference"><a href="#chinese-remainder">1</a></sup> it has strict subgroups. As an example
let's imagine that <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.625em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">11</span></span></span></span>, and so <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7777700000000001em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span></span></span></span> factors into <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">5</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">2</span></span></span></span>. Thus, there is a
generator <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8888799999999999em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05278em;">β</span></span></span></span> of the <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">5</span></span></span></span>-order subgroup and a generator <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.625em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05556em;">γ</span></span></span></span> of the <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">2</span></span></span></span>-order
subgroup. All elements in <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.154439em;vertical-align:-0.383108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.771331em;"><span style="top:-2.4530000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mbin mtight">×</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.383108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>, therefore, can be written uniquely as
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.019104em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05278em;">β</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.824664em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.019104em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05556em;">γ</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.824664em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.05724em;">j</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> for some <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.65952em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">i</span></span></span></span> (modulo <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">5</span></span></span></span>) and some <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.85396em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05724em;">j</span></span></span></span> (modulo <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">2</span></span></span></span>).</p>
<p>If we have <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.019104em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05278em;">β</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.824664em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.019104em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05556em;">γ</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.824664em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.05724em;">j</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> notice what happens when we compute</p>
<p><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8641079999999999em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.1246639999999999em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05278em;">β</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8746639999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.124664em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05556em;">γ</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.874664em;"><span style="top:-3.1130000000000004em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.05724em;">j</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mclose"><span class="mclose">)</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">5</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.0691039999999998em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05278em;">β</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8746639999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span><span class="mbin mtight"></span><span class="mord mtight">5</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.069104em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05556em;">γ</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.874664em;"><span style="top:-3.1130000000000004em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.05724em;"
<p>we have effectively &quot;killed&quot; the <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">5</span></span></span></span>-order subgroup component, producing a value in the
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">2</span></span></span></span>-order subgroup.</p>
<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagrange%27s_theorem_(group_theory)">Lagrange's theorem (group theory)</a> states that the order of any subgroup
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.68333em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.08125em;">H</span></span></span></span> of a finite group <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.68333em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">G</span></span></span></span> divides the order of <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.68333em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">G</span></span></span></span>. Therefore, the order of any subgroup
of <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.154439em;vertical-align:-0.383108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.771331em;"><span style="top:-2.4530000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mbin mtight">×</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.383108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> must divide <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7777700000000001em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1.</span></span></span></span></p>
<h2 id="square-roots"><a class="header" href="#square-roots">Square roots</a></h2>
<p>In a field <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.974998em;vertical-align:-0.286108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.15139200000000003em;"><span style="top:-2.5500000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.286108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> exactly half of all nonzero elements are squares; the remainder
are non-squares or &quot;quadratic non-residues&quot;. In order to see why, consider an <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span></span></span></span>
that generates the <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">2</span></span></span></span>-order multiplicative subgroup of <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.154439em;vertical-align:-0.383108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.771331em;"><span style="top:-2.4530000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mbin mtight">×</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.383108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> (this exists
because <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7777700000000001em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span></span></span></span> is divisible by <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">2</span></span></span></span> since <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.625em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span></span></span></span> is a prime greater than <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">2</span></span></span></span>) and <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8888799999999999em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05278em;">β</span></span></span></span> that
generates the <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.61508em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">t</span></span></span></span>-order multiplicative subgroup of <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.154439em;vertical-align:-0.383108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.771331em;"><span style="top:-2.4530000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mbin mtight">×</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.383108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> where <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7777700000000001em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal">t</span></span></span></span>.
Then every element <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.5782em;vertical-align:-0.0391em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.154439em;vertical-align:-0.383108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.771331em;"><span style="top:-2.4530000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mbin mtight">×</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.383108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> can be written uniquely as
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.824664em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.824664em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.019104em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05278em;">β</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.824664em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.05724em;">j</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> with <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69862em;vertical-align:-0.0391em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">i</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.83889em;vertical-align:-0.15em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">Z</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.30110799999999993em;"><span style="top:-2.5500000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.15em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> and <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.85396em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05724em;">j</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.83889em;vertical-align:-0.15em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">Z</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.2805559999999999em;"><span style="top:-2.5500000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">t</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.15em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>. Half of all
elements will have <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.65952em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">i</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">0</span></span></span></span> and the other half will have <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.65952em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">i</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span></span></span></span>.</p>
<p>Let's consider the simple case where <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.65819em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">3</span><span class="mspace allowbreak"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.4444444444444444em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathrm">mod</span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.3333333333333333em;"></span><span class="mord">4</span><span class="mclose">)</span></span></span></span> and so <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.61508em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">t</span></span></span></span> is odd (if <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.61508em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">t</span></span></span></span> is
even, then <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7777700000000001em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span></span></span></span> would be divisible by <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">4</span></span></span></span>, which contradicts <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.625em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span></span></span></span> being <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">3</span><span class="mspace allowbreak"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.4444444444444444em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathrm">mod</span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.3333333333333333em;"></span><span class="mord">4</span><span class="mclose">)</span></span></span></span>).
If <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.5782em;vertical-align:-0.0391em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.154439em;vertical-align:-0.383108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.771331em;"><span style="top:-2.4530000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mbin mtight">×</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.383108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> is a square, then there must exist
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.824664em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.824664em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.019104em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05278em;">β</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.824664em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.05724em;">j</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> such that <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span></span></span></span>. But this means that</p>
<p><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.1246639999999999em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8746639999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.124664em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05278em;">β</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.874664em;"><span style="top:-3.1130000000000004em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.05724em;">j</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mclose"><span class="mclose">)</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8746639999999999em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8746639999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.069104em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05278em;">β</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.874664em;"><span style="top:-3.1130000000000004em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.05724em;">j</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.069104em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" st
<p>In other words, all squares in this particular field do not generate the <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">2</span></span></span></span>-order
multiplicative subgroup, and so since half of the elements generate the <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">2</span></span></span></span>-order subgroup
then at most half of the elements are square. In fact exactly half of the elements are
square (since squaring each nonsquare element gives a unique square). This means we can
assume all squares can be written as <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8888799999999999em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05278em;">β</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.664392em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">m</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> for some <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">m</span></span></span></span>, and therefore finding the
square root is a matter of exponentiating by <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord">2</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"></span><span class="mord mtight">1</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace allowbreak"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.4444444444444444em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathrm">mod</span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.3333333333333333em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">t</span><span class="mclose">)</span></span></span></span>.</p>
<p>In the event that <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.65819em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span><span class="mspace allowbreak"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.4444444444444444em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathrm">mod</span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.3333333333333333em;"></span><span class="mord">4</span><span class="mclose">)</span></span></span></span> then things get more complicated because
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord">2</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"></span><span class="mord mtight">1</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace allowbreak"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.4444444444444444em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathrm">mod</span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.3333333333333333em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">t</span><span class="mclose">)</span></span></span></span> does not exist. Let's write <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7777700000000001em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span></span></span></span> as <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.849108em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord">2</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.849108em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.61508em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">t</span></span></span></span> with <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.61508em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">t</span></span></span></span> odd. The
case <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">0</span></span></span></span> is impossible, and the case <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span></span></span></span> is what we already described, so consider
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.83041em;vertical-align:-0.13597em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">2</span></span></span></span>. <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span></span></span></span> generates a <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.849108em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord">2</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.849108em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>-order multiplicative subgroup and <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8888799999999999em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05278em;">β</span></span></span></span> generates
the odd <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.61508em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">t</span></span></span></span>-order multiplicative subgroup. Then every element <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.5782em;vertical-align:-0.0391em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.154439em;vertical-align:-0.383108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.771331em;"><span style="top:-2.4530000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mbin mtight">×</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.383108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
can be written as <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.824664em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.824664em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.019104em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05278em;">β</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.824664em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.05724em;">j</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> for <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69862em;vertical-align:-0.0391em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">i</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8915099999999999em;vertical-align:-0.2026199999999999em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">Z</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.3448em;"><span style="top:-2.49738em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7820285714285713em;"><span style="top:-2.786em;margin-right:0.07142857142857144em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.5em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size3 size1 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.2026199999999999em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> and
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.85396em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05724em;">j</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.83889em;vertical-align:-0.15em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">Z</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.2805559999999999em;"><span style="top:-2.5500000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">t</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.15em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>. If the element is a square, then there exists some <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.04em;vertical-align:-0.23972em;"></span><span class="mord sqrt"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8002800000000001em;"><span class="svg-align" style="top:-3em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="mord" style="padding-left:0.833em;"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span></span></span><span style="top:-2.76028em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="hide-tail" style="min-width:0.853em;height:1.08em;"><svg width='400em' height='1.08em' viewBox='0 0 400000 1080' preserveAspectRatio='xMinYMin slice'><path d='M95,702
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which can be written <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.94248em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.94248em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8278285714285715em;"><span style="top:-2.931em;margin-right:0.07142857142857144em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.5em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size3 size1 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.13692em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05278em;">β</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.94248em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.05724em;">j</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8278285714285715em;"><span style="top:-2.931em;margin-right:0.07142857142857144em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.5em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size3 size1 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> for <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.790992em;vertical-align:-0.0391em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">i</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.751892em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8915099999999999em;vertical-align:-0.2026199999999999em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">Z</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.3448em;"><span style="top:-2.49738em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7820285714285713em;"><span style="top:-2.786em;margin-right:0.071428
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.946332em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05724em;">j</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.751892em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.83889em;vertical-align:-0.15em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">Z</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.2805559999999999em;"><span style="top:-2.5500000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">t</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.15em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>. This means that <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">b</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.94248em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.94248em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8278285714285715em;"><span style="top:-2.931em;margin-right:0.07142857142857144em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.5em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size3 size1 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.13692em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05278em;">β</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.94248em;"><span style="top:-3.063em
therefore we have <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.65952em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">i</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.751892em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">2</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">i</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.751892em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace allowbreak"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.4444444444444444em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.099108em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathrm">mod</span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.3333333333333333em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord">2</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.849108em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mclose">)</span></span></span></span>, and <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.85396em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05724em;">j</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.946332em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord">2</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05724em;">j</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.751892em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace allowbreak"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.4444444444444444em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathrm">mod</span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.3333333333333333em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">t</span><span class="mclose">)</span></span></span></span>. <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.65952em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">i</span></span></span></span> would have
to be even in this case because otherwise it would be impossible to have
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.65952em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">i</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.751892em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">2</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">i</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.751892em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace allowbreak"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.4444444444444444em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.099108em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathrm">mod</span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.3333333333333333em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord">2</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.849108em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mclose">)</span></span></span></span> for any <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.751892em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">i</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.751892em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>. In the case that <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span></span></span></span> is not a square, then <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.65952em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">i</span></span></span></span> is
odd, and so half of all elements are squares.</p>
<p>In order to compute the square root, we can first raise the element
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.824664em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.824664em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.019104em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05278em;">β</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.824664em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.05724em;">j</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> to the power <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.61508em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">t</span></span></span></span> to &quot;kill&quot; the <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.61508em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">t</span></span></span></span>-order component, giving</p>
<p><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.843556em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">a</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.843556em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">t</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.0619199999999998em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:1.0619199999999998em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">t</span><span class="mspace allowbreak mtight"></span><span class="mspace mtight" style="margin-right:0.5204444444444445em;"></span><span class="mopen mtight">(</span><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathrm mtight">mod</span></span></span><span class="mspace mtight" style="margin-right:0.39033333333333337em;"></span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mclose mtight"><span class="mclose mtight">)</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.9270285714285713em;"><span style="top:-2.931em;margin-right:0.07142857142857144em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.5em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size3 size1 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.13244em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05278em;">β</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.938em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.05724em;">j</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">t</span><span class="mspace allowbreak mtight"></span><span class="mspace mtight" style="margin-right:0.5204444444444445em;"></span><span class="mopen mtight">(</span><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathrm mtight">mod</span></span></span><span class="mspace mtight" style="margin-right:0.39033333333333337em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">t</span><span class="mclose mtight">)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.0619199999999998em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:1.0619199999999998em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><
<p>and then raise this result to the power <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal">t</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"></span><span class="mord mtight">1</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace allowbreak"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.4444444444444444em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.099108em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathrm">mod</span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.3333333333333333em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord">2</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.849108em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mclose">)</span></span></span></span> to undo the effect of the
original exponentiation on the <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.849108em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord">2</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.849108em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>-order component:</p>
<p><span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.3119199999999998em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:1.0619199999999998em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">t</span><span class="mspace mtight" style="margin-right:0.3252777777777778em;"></span><span class="mbin mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathrm mtight">mod</span></span></span><span class="mspace mtight" style="margin-right:0.3252777777777778em;"></span><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.9270285714285713em;"><span style="top:-2.931em;margin-right:0.07142857142857144em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.5em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size3 size1 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mclose"><span class="mclose">)</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:1.0619199999999998em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">t</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8913142857142857em;"><span style="top:-2.931em;margin-right:0.07142857142857144em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.5em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size3 size1 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"></span><span class="mord mtight">1</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace allowbreak mtight"></span><span class="mspace mtight" style="margin-right:0.5204444444444445em;"></span><span class="mopen mtight">(</span><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathrm mtight">mod</span></span></span><span class="mspace mtight" style="margin-right:0.39033333333333337em;"></span><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.9270285714285713em;"><span style="top:-2.931em;margin-right:0.07142857142857144em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.5em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size3 size1 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mclose mtight">)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8746639999999999em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8746639999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p>(since <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.61508em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">t</span></span></span></span> is relatively prime to <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.849108em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord">2</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.849108em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>). This leaves bare the <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.824664em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.824664em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> value which we
can trivially handle. We can similarly kill the <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.849108em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord">2</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.849108em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>-order component to obtain
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.1813599999999997em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.05278em;">β</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.9869199999999998em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.05724em;">j</span><span class="mbin mtight"></span><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8913142857142857em;"><span style="top:-2.931em;margin-right:0.07142857142857144em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.5em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size3 size1 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"></span><span class="mord mtight">1</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace allowbreak mtight"></span><span class="mspace mtight" style="margin-right:0.5204444444444445em;"></span><span class="mopen mtight">(</span><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathrm mtight">mod</span></span></span><span class="mspace mtight" style="margin-right:0.39033333333333337em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">t</span><span class="mclose mtight">)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>, and put the values together to obtain the square root.</p>
<p>It turns out that in the cases <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8388800000000001em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord">2</span><span class="mpunct">,</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.16666666666666666em;"></span><span class="mord">3</span></span></span></span> there are simpler algorithms that merge several
of these exponentiations together for efficiency. For other values of <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.69444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span>, the only known
way is to manually extract <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.65952em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">i</span></span></span></span> by squaring until you obtain the identity for every single
bit of <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.65952em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">i</span></span></span></span>. This is the essence of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonelli%E2%80%93Shanks_algorithm">Tonelli-Shanks square root algorithm</a> and
describes the general strategy. (There is another square root algorithm that uses
quadratic extension fields, but it doesn't pay off in efficiency until the prime becomes
quite large.)</p>
<h2 id="roots-of-unity"><a class="header" href="#roots-of-unity">Roots of unity</a></h2>
<p>In the previous sections we wrote <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7777700000000001em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">p</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.849108em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord">2</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.849108em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.61508em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">t</span></span></span></span> with <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.61508em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">t</span></span></span></span> odd, and stated that an
element <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.5782em;vertical-align:-0.0391em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.154439em;vertical-align:-0.383108em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathbb">F</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.771331em;"><span style="top:-2.4530000000000003em;margin-left:0em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">p</span></span></span><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mbin mtight">×</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.383108em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> generated the <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.849108em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord">2</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.849108em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>-order subgroup. For
convenience, let's denote <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">n</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">:=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.849108em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord">2</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.849108em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight" style="margin-right:0.03148em;">k</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mord">.</span></span></span></span> The elements <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.064108em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">{</span><span class="mord">1</span><span class="mpunct">,</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.16666666666666666em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="mpunct">,</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.16666666666666666em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mpunct">,</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.16666666666666666em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span><span class="mbin mtight"></span><span class="mord mtight">1</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mclose">}</span></span></span></span>
are known as the <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">n</span></span></span></span>th <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root_of_unity">roots of unity</a>.</p>
<p>The <strong>primitive root of unity</strong>, <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.625em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">ω</span><span class="mpunct">,</span></span></span></span> is an <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">n</span></span></span></span>th root of unity such that
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.019104em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">ω</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.824664em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"><span class="mrel"><span class="mord vbox"><span class="thinbox"><span class="rlap"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8888799999999999em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="inner"><span class="mord"><span class="mrel"></span></span></span><span class="fix"></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mrel">=</span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span></span></span></span> except when <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.65952em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">i</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">0</span><span class="mspace allowbreak"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.4444444444444444em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathrm">mod</span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.3333333333333333em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">n</span><span class="mclose">)</span></span></span></span>.</p>
<p>Important notes:</p>
<ul>
<li>
<p>If <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span></span></span></span> is an <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">n</span></span></span></span>th root of unity, <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span></span></span></span> satisfies <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.747722em;vertical-align:-0.08333em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.664392em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">0.</span></span></span></span> If
<span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8888799999999999em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"><span class="mrel"><span class="mord vbox"><span class="thinbox"><span class="rlap"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8888799999999999em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="inner"><span class="mord"><span class="mrel"></span></span></span><span class="fix"></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mrel">=</span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8388800000000001em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span><span class="mpunct">,</span></span></span></span> then
<span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.72777em;vertical-align:-0.08333em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin">+</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.66666em;vertical-align:-0.08333em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin">+</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.9474379999999999em;vertical-align:-0.08333em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin">+</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.66666em;vertical-align:-0.08333em;"></span><span class="minner"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin">+</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.864108em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.864108em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span><span class="mbin mtight"></span><span class="mord mtight">1</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">0.</span></span></span></span></span></p>
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<p>Equivalently, the roots of unity are solutions to the equation
<span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7977219999999999em;vertical-align:-0.08333em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.07847em;">X</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7143919999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.07847em;">X</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span><span class="mclose">)</span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.07847em;">X</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="mclose">)</span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.07847em;">X</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.1141079999999999em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mclose">)</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.16666666666666666em;"></span><span class="minner"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.16666666666666666em;"></span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.07847em;">X</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.1141079999999999em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.0037em;">α</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.864108em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span><span class="mbin mtight"></span><span class="mord mtight">1</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mclose">)</span><span class="mord">
</li>
<li>
<p><strong><span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.6604099999999997em;vertical-align:-0.4233299999999999em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:1.2370799999999997em;"><span style="top:-3.6604099999999997em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3.6604099999999997em;"></span><span class="boxpad"><span class="mord"><span class="mord"><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">ω</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.89708em;"><span style="top:-3.4130000000000003em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mopen nulldelimiter sizing reset-size3 size6"></span><span class="mfrac"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.6915428571428572em;"><span style="top:-2.656em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size3 size1 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span><span style="top:-3.2255000000000003em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="frac-line mtight" style="border-bottom-width:0.049em;"></span></span><span style="top:-3.384em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size3 size1 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.344em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mclose nulldelimiter sizing reset-size3 size6"></span></span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mord"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">ω</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8746639999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="top:-3.2370799999999997em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3.6604099999999997em;"></span><span class="stretchy fbox" style="height:1.6604099999999997em;border-style:solid;border-width:0.04em;"></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.4233299999999999em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> (&quot;Negation lemma&quot;)</strong>. Proof:
<span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:3.0980000000000003em;vertical-align:-1.2990000000000002em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mtable"><span class="col-align-r"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:1.7990000000000002em;"><span style="top:-3.959em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">ω</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7143919999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span></span></span><span style="top:-2.3609999999999998em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="mord"></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:1.2990000000000002em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="col-align-l"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:1.7990000000000002em;"><span style="top:-3.959em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">ω</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7143919999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mord">0</span></span></span><span style="top:-2.3609999999999998em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">ω</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.938em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span><span class="mord mtight">/2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin">+</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mord">1</span><span class="mclose">)</span><span class="mopen">(</span>
Since the order of <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">ω</span></span></span></span> is <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">n</span></span></span></span>, <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.0824399999999998em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">ω</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8879999999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span><span class="mord mtight">/2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel"><span class="mrel"><span class="mord vbox"><span class="thinbox"><span class="rlap"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8888799999999999em;vertical-align:-0.19444em;"></span><span class="inner"><span class="mord"><span class="mrel"></span></span></span><span class="fix"></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mrel">=</span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.64444em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord">1.</span></span></span></span> Therefore, <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8879999999999999em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">ω</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8879999999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span><span class="mord mtight">/2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.72777em;vertical-align:-0.08333em;"></span><span class="mord"></span><span class="mord">1.</span></span></span></span></p>
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<li>
<p><strong><span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.8270799999999996em;vertical-align:-0.5899999999999999em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:1.2370799999999997em;"><span style="top:-3.8270799999999996em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3.8270799999999996em;"></span><span class="boxpad"><span class="mord"><span class="mord"><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">ω</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.89708em;"><span style="top:-3.4130000000000003em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mopen nulldelimiter sizing reset-size3 size6"></span><span class="mfrac"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.6915428571428572em;"><span style="top:-2.656em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size3 size1 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span><span style="top:-3.2255000000000003em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="frac-line mtight" style="border-bottom-width:0.049em;"></span></span><span style="top:-3.384em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size3 size1 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.344em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mclose nulldelimiter sizing reset-size3 size6"></span></span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mclose"><span class="mclose">)</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">ω</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8746639999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mclose"><span class="mclose">)</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="top:-3.2370799999999997em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3.8270799999999996em;"></span><span class="stretchy fbox" style="height:1.8270799999999996em;border-style:solid;border-width:0.04em;"></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.5899999999999999em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span> (&quot;Halving lemma&quot;)</strong>. Proof:
<span class="katex-display"><span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.1470799999999999em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">(</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">ω</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.89708em;"><span style="top:-3.4130000000000003em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mopen nulldelimiter sizing reset-size3 size6"></span><span class="mfrac"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.6915428571428572em;"><span style="top:-2.656em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size3 size1 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span><span style="top:-3.2255000000000003em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="frac-line mtight" style="border-bottom-width:0.049em;"></span></span><span style="top:-3.384em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size3 size1 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.344em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mclose nulldelimiter sizing reset-size3 size6"></span></span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mclose"><span class="mclose">)</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8641079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.874664em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">ω</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.874664em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span><span class="mbin mtight">+</span><span class="mord mtight">2</span><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.7143919999999999em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">ω</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.7143919999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.113em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span><span class="mbin"></span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2222222222222222em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.8746639999999999em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord
In other words, if we square each element in the <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:0.43056em;vertical-align:0em;"></span><span class="mord mathnormal">n</span></span></span></span>th roots of unity, we would get back
only half the elements, <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.0746639999999998em;vertical-align:-0.25em;"></span><span class="mopen">{(</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">ω</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.824664em;"><span style="top:-2.4530000000000003em;margin-left:-0.03588em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">i</span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.247em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mclose"><span class="mclose">)</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.8141079999999999em;"><span style="top:-3.063em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mclose">}</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span><span class="mrel">=</span><span class="mspace" style="margin-right:0.2777777777777778em;"></span></span><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.1052em;vertical-align:-0.3551999999999999em;"></span><span class="mopen">{</span><span class="mord"><span class="mord mathnormal" style="margin-right:0.03588em;">ω</span><span class="msupsub"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.34480000000000005em;"><span style="top:-2.5198em;margin-left:-0.03588em;margin-right:0.05em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:2.7em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span><span class="mord mtight">/2</span></span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.3551999999999999em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mclose">}</span></span></span></span> (i.e. the <span class="katex"><span class="katex-html" aria-hidden="true"><span class="base"><span class="strut" style="height:1.040392em;vertical-align:-0.345em;"></span><span class="mord"><span class="mopen nulldelimiter"></span><span class="mfrac"><span class="vlist-t vlist-t2"><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.695392em;"><span style="top:-2.6550000000000002em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mtight">2</span></span></span></span><span style="top:-3.23em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="frac-line" style="border-bottom-width:0.04em;"></span></span><span style="top:-3.394em;"><span class="pstrut" style="height:3em;"></span><span class="sizing reset-size6 size3 mtight"><span class="mord mtight"><span class="mord mathnormal mtight">n</span></span></span></span></span><span class="vlist-s"></span></span><span class="vlist-r"><span class="vlist" style="height:0.345em;"><span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="mclose nulldelimiter"></span></span></span></span></span>th roots
of unity). There is a two-to-one mapping between the elements and their squares.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="references"><a class="header" href="#references">References</a></h2>
<div class="footnote-definition" id="chinese-remainder"><sup class="footnote-definition-label">1</sup>
<p><a href="http://www.math.columbia.edu/%7Erf/numbertheory2.pdf">Friedman, R. (n.d.) &quot;Cyclic Groups and Elementary Number Theory II&quot; (p. 5).</a></p>
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