Math 4150

Spring 2011

Korselts crietrion for Carmichael numbers

We state and prove Korselts criterion for Carmichael numbers.
Theorem 1 (Korselts Criterion). Let n 2 be a composite integer. Then
the following are equivalent:
(i) an a (mod n) for all a Z.
(ii) an1 1 (mod n) for all a Z such that (a, n) = 1.
(iii) n is odd and squarefree and p 1 | n 1 for all primes p | n.
A composite number satisfying any of the equivalent conditions (i)-(iii) is
called a Carmichael number.
Proof. (i) implies (ii): This follows by multiplying both sides by the multiplicative inverse of a (mod n).
(ii) implies (iii): If n is even, then applying (ii) with a = 1 gives 1 1
(mod n), and therefore n = 2. Write n = pe11 pekk with the pi distinct odd
primes and ei 1. For each i with 1 i k, choose a primitive root ai
mod pei i , and note that in particular we have (ai , pi ) = 1. By the Chinese
Remainder Theorem, we can find an integer a such that a ai (mod pei i ) for
all i, and a satisfies (a, n) = 1. Now fix a particular value of i. By hypothesis,
we have an1 1 (mod n), which implies that an1 1 (mod pei i ) ,and thus
an1
1 (mod pei i ). Since ai is a primitive root mod pei i , it follows that
i
ordpei i (ai ) = (pei i ) = pei i 1 (pi 1) divides n 1. But (pi , n 1) = 1 since
pi | n. This implies that ei = 1 and pi 1 | n 1. Since i was arbitrary, we
have established (iii).
(iii) implies (i): By assumption, n = p1 pk is a product of distinct odd
primes and pi 1 | n 1 for all i. Let a Z. If (a, pi ) = 1, then api 1 1
(mod pi ) by Fermats Little Theorem, so that an1 1 (mod pi ) and hence
an a (mod pi ). If (a, pi ) > 1, then pi | a and thus an a 0 (mod pi ).
Thus an a (mod pi ) for all i and all a Z. By the Chinese Remainder
Theorem, this implies that an a (mod n) as desired.