Prove that for any positive integer $a,$ $a^{561} \equiv a \pmod{561}.$

carmichael-numbersdivisibilityelementary-number-theory

Prove that for any positive integer $a$, $a^{561} \equiv a \pmod{561}$.
(Hence, $561$ is a pseudoprime with respect to any base. Such a number is called a Carmichael number.)

This obviously works for $1$ but how do I find $2^{561}$ or any other number to the power of $561?$

Best Answer

Since $$a^{561}-a=\left(a^{560}-1\right)a,$$ we see that $a^{561}-a$ is divisible by $a^3-a$, by $a^{17}-a$ and by $a^{11}-a$, which says that it's divisible by $3$, by $17$ and by $11$, which says that it's divisible by $3\cdot17\cdot11=561$.

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