Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-analytic-number-theory-and-elliptic-curves-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2008/b/5/iv/solution
Past exam of the analytic number theory and elliptic curves course of the University of Oxford 2008 B 5 iv Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-31
Let be the nonzero reductions of . The square set in has members, including zero. Multiplication by , and separately the transformation , preserve this cardinality. Hence the two sets in the hint have total cardinality and must intersect. This gives a solution modulo .
The solution cannot have both coordinates zero since . If , choose any integral lift of and apply Hensel's lemma to the polynomial in : its derivative at the reduced root is . If , use the other variable instead. The nonzero derivative uses . Thus a solution lifts to as required.
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