Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2006/ii/paper-4/11h/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2006 ii Paper 4 11H Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-14
For odd coprime to , the Fermat pseudoprime test is . The Euler pseudoprime test meant here is the Euler–Jacobi test,where the right side is the Jacobi symbol. Write , with odd. The strong pseudoprime test passes when , or when for some . Terminology often reserves “pseudoprime” for composite numbers; the question uses it for passing the respective test, including primes.
For the final example, is composite and , so . It passes the Fermat primality test. However , whereas the supplementary law for the Jacobi symbol gives since . Thus 341 is Fermat but not Euler–Jacobi pseudoprime to base two. A weaker convention defining an Euler test merely by would not give the claimed distinction, which is why the Jacobi convention matters.
New to topics? Read the docs here!