Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2026 / iii / Paper 150 / 1 / c / Solution

For each prime number $p\nmid a$, the congruence $an+1\equiv 0(\mathrm{mod}p)$ removes exactly one residue class of $n$ modulo $p$; for $p\mid a$, it removes none. The dimension-one upper-bound sieve therefore givesSeparating the primes that divide $a$ bounds the product byThe ratio form of Mertens theorem says that the first product is $\ll \log w/\log z$. Hence