English

Representing Integers as the Sum of Two Squares in the Ring $\Z_n$

Number Theory 2014-04-02 v1

Abstract

A classical theorem in number theory due to Euler states that a positive integer zz can be written as the sum of two squares if and only if all prime factors qq of zz, with q3(mod4)q\equiv 3 \pmod{4}, have even exponent in the prime factorization of zz. One can consider a minor variation of this theorem by not allowing the use of zero as a summand in the representation of zz as the sum of two squares. Viewing each of these questions in Zn\Z_n, the ring of integers modulo nn, we give a characterization of all integers n2n\ge 2 such that every zZnz\in \Z_n can be written as the sum of two squares in Zn\Z_n.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1404.0187,
  title  = {Representing Integers as the Sum of Two Squares in the Ring $\Z_n$},
  author = {Joshua Harrington and Lenny Jones and Alicia Lamarche},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1404.0187},
  year   = {2014}
}