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First check the signs directly. For $(x,y)\in M_i$, applying the proposed differential twice givesbecause $f$ is a chain map. Thus $M$ is a chain complex.

Let $C^{\prime }$ be the shifted chain complex with $C_i^{\prime }=C_{i-1}$ and differential $d_C$; here there is no minus sign in that differential. Inclusion in the second summand and projection onto the first give a short exact sequence of chain complexesTo compute the connecting map in its long exact sequence in homology, lift a cycle $x\in C_{i-1}$ to $(x,0)\in M_i$. Its boundary is $(0,(-1{)}^{i}f(x))$. Hence the connecting map $H_i(C^{\prime })\to H_{i-1}(D)$ is $(-1{)}^i{f}_{\ast }$, and the relevant exact portion isIf every $f_{\ast }$ is an isomorphism, exactness makes $H_i(M)=0$. Conversely, if every $H_i(M)$ is zero, the adjacent exact portions make every $f_{\ast }$ both injective and surjective. ThereforeThis is the acyclicity criterion for a mapping cone, with the degree-dependent signs adjusted to the given convention.

For the assertion about spaces, use the cellular approximation theorem to replace $f$ by a cellular map, and take the induced map of the finite free cellular chain complexes. Tensoring these complexes and their cone with ${\mathbb{F}}_p$ gives the corresponding mod-$p$ complexes and cone. The same exact-sequence argument works over ${\mathbb{F}}_p$, so the assumed homology isomorphisms implyThe universal coefficient theorem for homology givesIn particular $H_i(M)\otimes {\mathbb{F}}_p=0$ for every prime. Each $H_i(M)$ is a finitely generated abelian group. A nonzero free summand would survive tensoring with every ${\mathbb{F}}_p$, while a nonzero finite cyclic summand would survive for a prime dividing its order. Thus $H_i(M)=0$ in every degree, by detection of integral acyclicity modulo primes. Applying the cone criterion once more proves the integral homology map is an isomorphism in every degree. Finite generation is what makes detection by all prime fields sufficient.

Repeated Smith normal form puts a chain complex of finitely generated free abelian groups into its elementary decomposition of a finite free chain complex: one-term summands $\mathbb{Z}$ and two-term summands $0\to \mathbb{Z}\stackrel{m}{\to }\mathbb{Z}\to 0$. Applying ${\mathrm{Hom}}_{\mathbb{Z}}(-,\mathbb{Z})$ reverses a two-term summand but keeps the same multiplication by $m$. Reading its homology gives the universal coefficient theorem for cohomologysplit noncanonically. Thus if $H_n(C)\cong {\mathbb{Z}}^{b_n}\oplus T_n$ with $T_n$ finite, then

The universal coefficient theorem for homology with ${\mathbb{F}}_p$ coefficients givesIf the middle group vanishes for every prime $p$, so does the tensor term. Any nonzero free summand survives for every $p$, and any nonzero finite summand survives for a prime dividing its order. Since integral homology is finitely generated, it must vanish in every degree. This is detection of integral acyclicity modulo primes.

For the displayed complex, writeUsing $f_{\#}{d}_C=d_D{f}_{\#}$, one obtainsThus $M$ is the mapping cone of $f_{\#}$ in this sign convention. Its long exact sequence in homology shows that $f_{\ast }$ is an isomorphism exactly when $H_{\ast }(M)=0$. If $f_{\ast }$ is an isomorphism with ${\mathbb{F}}_p$ coefficients for every prime, then $M\otimes {\mathbb{F}}_p$ is acyclic for every $p$. Prime-field detection makes $M$ integrally acyclic, so the integral long exact sequence gives