Proof of Fermat's little theorem by rearrangement
Builds on Prime numberCongruence modulo nDivisibilityEuclid's lemmaDivision algorithmCongruence is compatible with multiplication
Proof
- Let be a prime number and let be an integer with . Let .
- For , we have , so does not divide . Since also , Euclid's lemma gives .
- For , let be the remainder of on division by , given by the division algorithm. Then and .
- If , then divides , which contradicts step 2. So .
- Let with . Then , so divides .
- Since , Euclid's lemma gives . Since , this forces , so .
- By steps 4 and 6, the numbers are distinct elements of . Since has elements, they are all the elements of in some order.
- Hence .
- By step 3 and compatibility with multiplication, .
- The left side of step 9 is . With step 8, we get .
- So divides .
- The prime does not divide . Otherwise, Euclid's lemma applied to the factors in turn would give for some , against step 2.
- By steps 11 and 12 and Euclid's lemma, divides . Hence .
Idea
Multiplying the nonzero residues by only shuffles them. So the product of all of them is unchanged, except for the factor that comes out. Cancelling the product , which does not divide, leaves .
Reading path
To understand this page from the ground up, read these 31 pages in order. The foundations come first. The path takes the proofs Proof of Bézout's identity, Proof of the generalized Euclid's lemma, Proof of the commutativity of addition by induction, Proof of Euclid's lemma, Proof of strong induction from ordinary induction, Proof that congruence is compatible with multiplication, Proof of the well-ordering principle from strong induction, Proof of the division algorithm.
Show the path as a graph
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- Definition by recursion concept
- Divisibility definition
- Mathematical induction concept
- Natural numbers object
- Peano axioms concept
- Congruence modulo n definition
- Greatest common divisor definition
- Prime number definition
- Successor function definition
- Proof that congruence is compatible with multiplication proof
- Coprime integers definition
- Addition of natural numbers definition
- The successor function is injective statement
- Zero is not a successor statement
- Congruence is compatible with multiplication statement
- Proof of the commutativity of addition by induction proof
- Order on the natural numbers definition
- Commutativity of addition statement
- Proof of strong induction from ordinary induction proof
- Strong induction statement
- Proof of the well-ordering principle from strong induction proof
- Well-ordering principle statement
- Proof of the division algorithm proof
- Division algorithm statement
- Proof of Bézout's identity proof
- Bézout's identity statement
- Proof of the generalized Euclid's lemma proof
- Generalized Euclid's lemma statement
- Proof of Euclid's lemma proof
- Euclid's lemma statement
- Proof of Fermat's little theorem by rearrangement proof
Where this leads
52 pages build on this one.
- −1 is a square modulo p if and only if p is not 3 modulo 4
- Fermat pseudoprime
- Gauss's lemma on quadratic residues
- Fermat's theorem on sums of two squares
- Sum of two squares theorem
- Existence of primitive roots modulo a prime
- Lucas–Lehmer test
- Pépin's test
- Law of quadratic reciprocity
- Fermat's little theorem in the form a^p = a
- Primitive root theorem
- Fermat's little theorem
- Euler's criterion
- Multiplicativity of the Legendre symbol
- First supplement to quadratic reciprocity
- Irreducibility of the cyclotomic polynomials over the rationals
- Miller–Rabin primality test
- Carmichael number
- A prime is a Gaussian prime if and only if it is 3 modulo 4
- Eisenstein's lemma
- Gauss–Wantzel theorem
- The order modulo p divides p − 1
- Quadratic reciprocity for the Jacobi symbol
- Second supplement to quadratic reciprocity
- Proof of the primitive root theorem
- Proof of Gauss's lemma on quadratic residues
- Proof of Eisenstein's lemma
- Proof of the sum of two squares theorem
- Proof of Pépin's test
- Artin reciprocity law
- Proof of Fermat's theorem on sums of two squares by Thue's lemma
- Shor's algorithm
- Proof of the Lucas–Lehmer test
- Proof of the law of quadratic reciprocity by counting lattice points
- Cyclotomic field
- Proof that −1 is a square modulo p if and only if p is not 3 modulo 4
- Proof of the multiplicativity of the Legendre symbol from Euler's criterion
- Cubic reciprocity
- Proof of Fermat's little theorem in the form a^p = a
- Proof that a prime is a Gaussian prime if and only if it is 3 modulo 4
- Proof of the irreducibility of the cyclotomic polynomials by reduction modulo primes
- Proof of Euler's criterion by counting quadratic residues
- Hilbert class field
- Proof of quadratic reciprocity for the Jacobi symbol
- Proof of the second supplement to quadratic reciprocity from Gauss's lemma
- Proof that the order modulo p divides p − 1
- Proof of the existence of primitive roots modulo a prime by counting elements of each order
- Proof of the first supplement to quadratic reciprocity from Euler's criterion
- Proof of the Gauss–Wantzel theorem
- Quartic reciprocity
- AKS primality test
- Integer factorization
Further reading
- Web https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proofs_of_Fermat%27s_little_theorem, Proof as a particular case of Euler's theorem
About this page
| Tag | 4W0R66PGGM |
|---|---|
| URI | m2://4W0R66PGGM |
| Kind | proof |
| Writing | W0 stub |
| MSC | 11A07 |
| Proves | Fermat's little theorem |
| Uses | Prime number, Congruence modulo n, Divisibility, Euclid's lemma, Division algorithm, Congruence is compatible with multiplication |
| Methods | Direct proof |
| Changed | 4 November 2026 |
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