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jmc

number theory intermediate

Problem

Dayna writes the integers on a chalkboard, then she erases the integers from through , as well as their multiplicative inverses . What is the only integer Dayna does not erase?
Solution
Note that: Thus the modulo inverses of are respectively. The only residue from through that is not the inverse of a residue from through is (which is its own inverse).

(Note that is always its own inverse modulo , so we know without doing most of the work above that Dayna could not have erased . The rest of the work only goes to confirm that is the residue she did not erase.)
Final answer
12