[Math] Does Hensel’s lemma give ALL solutions to a congrence equation

elementary-number-theorynumber theory

Solve $x^{15} \equiv 6 \pmod{7^2}$.

My approach based on Hensel's lemma:

First let's solve $x^{15} \equiv 6 \pmod{7}$, observe $3$ is a primitive root $\pmod{7}$, so let $x=3^y$ to get $15y \equiv 3 \pmod{6}$, solve to get $y_1=1, y_2=3, y_3=5$, the corresponding $x$'s are $x_1=3, x_2=6, x_3=5$

Now I use Hensel's lemma to lift the solutions to $\pmod{7^2}$. For example for $x_1$ one has $x_1^{15}-6=7 \times 2049843$ and $15x_1^{14}=3^{15} \times 5$, thus $7^0||(15x_1^{14})$, solve $2049843+3^{15} \times 5z_1 \equiv 0 \pmod{7}$ to get $z_1 \equiv 1 \pmod{7}$, so $w_1=x_1+7 \times z_1=10$ is a solution to the original equation.

Similar to $w_1$ one can lift $x_2,x_3$to get $w_2=6$ and $w_3=33$ are the other two solutions to the original equation $\pmod{49}$.

But does this way produce all the solutions?

Best Answer

Yes, when Hensel's lemma applies, it gives all solutions.

One way to see why (the simplest form of) Hensel's lemma is true is nothing more than simply solving the equation

$$ f(x + a p^k) \equiv 0 \pmod{p^{k+1}} $$

for $a$ in a situation where $f(x) \equiv 0 \pmod{p^k}$ and the Taylor series for $f(x)$ makes sense and the higher order terms vanish, due to the high powers of $p$ involved:

$$ f(x + a p^k) \cong f(x) + a p^k f'(x) \pmod{p^{k+1}} $$