Friday 22 March 2019

number theory - Modular equations and congruences



I have the following question, actually from the book Rational Points on Elliptic Curves by Silverman and Tate;




Prove that for every exponent $e \geq 1$, the congruence
$$x^2 +1 \equiv 0 (\text{mod } 5^e)$$



has a solution $x_e \in \mathbb{Z} / 5^e \mathbb{Z}$. Prove further that these solutions can be chosen to satisfy



$$x_1 \equiv 2 (\text{mod } 5),\qquad
\text{and}\quad
x_{e+1} \equiv x_e (\text{mod } 5^e) \quad
\text{for all } e \geq 1.$$




The best way to go about it is supposed to be induction on $e$. So I have gone through the initial step, i.e. for $e=1$ and shown that there is indeed a solution to the congruence in $\mathbb{Z} / 5^e \mathbb{Z}$, namely $x=2$ or $x=3$. However my problems begin from here on out. I just don't know how to proceed with this problem. This question is actually already (Prove that for every exponent $e\ge 1$, the congruence $x^2+1\equiv 0$ (mod $5^e$) has a solution $x_e\in \mathbb{Z}/5^e\mathbb{Z}$). I just can't follow the answer at all and was hoping someone could provide a more basic answer or methodology I could follow. Thank you for your help!


Answer



Starting with $x_1\equiv 2 \mod 5$ and $x_2\equiv x_1 \mod 5$, we have $x_2=5k+2$ for some integer k. Then



$x_2^2+1 = 25k^2 + 20k + 5 \equiv 20k+5 \mod 25$



So $k \equiv 1 \mod 5$ and $x_2 \equiv 7 \mod 25$



Then wash, rinse and repeat ...




$x_3\equiv x_2 \mod 25$



$\Rightarrow x_3 = 25k + 7$



$\Rightarrow x_3^2 + 1 = 625k^2 + 350k + 50 \equiv 100k + 50 \mod 125$



$\Rightarrow k \equiv 2 \mod 5$



$\Rightarrow x_3 \equiv 57 \mod 125$




etc.



The general case is known as Hensel's lemma.


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