Let a≡(3−1+5−1+7−1)−1(mod11). What is the remainder when a is divided by 11?
Solution — click to reveal
One way to do this is to find each inverse explicitly: (3−1+5−1+7−1)−1≡(4+9+8)−1(mod11)≡21−1(mod11)≡10−1(mod11)≡10(mod11). Another way to do this is through manipulation: ≡≡≡≡≡≡(3−1+5−1+7−1)−1(3⋅5⋅7)(3⋅5⋅7)−1(3−1+5−1+7−1)−1(3⋅5⋅7)(3⋅5+5⋅7+7⋅3)−16⋅(15+35+21)−16⋅5−16⋅910(mod11)