3

My approach:

There exist $\phi(31-1) = \phi(30) = 8$ primitive roots.

If $x^6 \not\equiv 1$,$x^{10} \not\equiv 1$, and $x^{15} \not\equiv 1$, then $x$ is a primitive root modulo $31$.

$x = 1, 2$ fails this but $x = 3$ passes this, thus $3$ is a primitive root.

I then know that $\{3^0, 3^1, 3^2, \dots, 3^{29}\}$ is a residue system mod $31$.

How can I then determine which elements are the primitive roots of this set?

Asaf Karagila
  • 393,674
Bryden C
  • 642
  • 6
  • 20
  • Well, $g=3^2$ isn't a primitive root because $\gcd(2,30)=2$ and $g^{15}=1$, noting that $15=\frac {30}2$. Do you see the pattern? – lulu Mar 23 '19 at 16:57
  • Phrased differently, you say that you know that there are $\varphi(30)=8$ primitive roots. How do you know that? The proof of that tells you how to find all the others, given one. – lulu Mar 23 '19 at 16:58

3 Answers3

3

Once you found one primitive root, the others are its powers which are relatively prime to $\phi(31)=30$. The numbers in $\{0,1,2,...,29\}$ which are relatively prime to $30$ are $1,7,11,13,17,19,23,29$ and hence the primitive roots are $3,3^7,3^{11},...,3^{29}$.

The reason why this is the case is the general formula $ord_n(a^k)=\frac{ord_n(a)}{gcd(k,ord_n(a))}$.

Mark
  • 39,605
3

There are indeed $\phi(\phi (31))=8$ primitive roots modulo $31$ and you can find them as described here:

Finding a primitive root of a prime number

For example, $3^k\equiv 1\bmod 31$ only holds for $k=30$, if $1\le k\le 30$. Hence $3$ is a primitive root modulo $31$. Now compute the orders of powers of $3$.

Dietrich Burde
  • 130,978
3

I then know that $\{3^0,3^1,3^2,…,3^{29}\}$ is a residue system $\mod 31$.

And you are sooo close.

$(3^k)^m = 3^{mk}$. So for $3^k$ to be a primitive root we need $mk$ to not be a multiple of $30$ for any natural $m < 30$.

In other words if $k$ is relatively prime to $30$.

In fact, that is precisely why we know there are $\phi(30)$ primitive roots.

fleablood
  • 124,253