Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2019/ii/paper-2/1i/solution

If the positive odd integer has prime factorization
its Jacobi symbol is
where each factor is a Legendre symbol; by convention . Thus the symbol is zero exactly when .
The quadratic reciprocity law for the Jacobi symbol says that for coprime positive odd integers ,
To prove it, write and . The quadratic reciprocity law for distinct odd primes states
Multiplying this identity over with multiplicities gives the required product of Jacobi symbols. Its sign exponent modulo two is
because multiplication of odd integers adds the quantities modulo two. This proves the law.
For the requested value, two applications of reciprocity give
since , , and is a quadratic nonresidue modulo .

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