Related papers: Lucas' theorem: its generalizations, extensions an…

For Lucas sequences of the first kind (u_n) and second kind (v_n) defined as usual for positive n by u_n=(a^n-b^n)/(a-b), v_n=a^n+b^n, where a and b are either integers or conjugate quadratic integers, we describe the set of indices n for…

We give a simple matrix-based proof of congruence equations modulo a prime $p$ involving sums of binomial coefficients appearing in Pascal's triangle. These equations can be used to construct some groups of exponent $p^n$. These groups, as…

We will prove several congruences modulo a power of a prime such as $$ \sum_{0<k_1<...<k_{n}<p}\leg{p-k_{n}}{3} {(-1)^{k_{n}}\over k_1... k_{n}}\equiv {lll} -{2^{n+1}+2\over 6^{n+1}} p B_{p-n-1}({1\over 3}) &\pmod{p^2} &{if $n$ is odd}…

A frequently cited theorem says that for n > 0 and prime p, the sum of the first p n-th powers is congruent to -1 modulo p if p-1 divides n, and to 0 otherwise. We survey the main ingredients in several known proofs. Then we give an…

In this paper we prove two results. The first theorem uses a paper of Kim \cite{K} to show that for fixed primes $p_1,...,p_k$, and for fixed integers $m_1,...,m_k$, with $p_i\not|m_i$, the numbers $(e_{p_1}(n),...,e_{p_k}(n))$ are…

Let s and t be variables. Define polynomials {n} in s, t by {0}=0, {1}=1, and {n}=s{n-1}+t{n-2} for n >= 2. If s, t are integers then the corresponding sequence of integers is called a Lucas sequence. Define an analogue of the binomial…

Let $P,Q\in\Bbb Z$, $U_0=0,\ U_1=1$ and $U_{n+1}=PU_n-QU_{n+1}$. In this paper we obtain a general congruence for $U_{kmn^r}/U_k\pmod {n^{r+1}}$, where $k,m,n,r$ are positive integers. As applications we extend Lucas' law of repetition and…

Let $(F_n)_{n \geq 1}$ be the sequence of Fibonacci numbers. For all integers $a$ and $b \geq 1$ with $\gcd(a, b) = 1$, let $[a^{-1} \!\bmod b]$ be the multiplicative inverse of $a$ modulo $b$, which we pick in the usual set of…

We study Gibonacci sequences mod $m$, giving special attention to the Lucas numbers. It is known which $m$ have the property that the Fibonacci sequence contains all residues mod $m$. When $m$ has this property, we say that the Fibonacci…

Lucas polynomials are polynomials in $s_1$ and $s_2$ defined recursively by $\{0\}=0$, $\{1\}=1$, and $\{m\}=s_1\{m-1\}+s_2\{m-2\}$ for $m \geq 2$. We generalize Lucas polynomials from 2-variable polynomials to multivariable polynomials.…

Let $p$ be a prime and let $a$ be a positive integer. In this paper we investigate $\sum_{k=0}^{p^a-1}\binom[(h+1)k,k+d]/m^k$ modulo a prime $p$, where $d$ and $m$ are integers with $-h<d<=p^a$ and $m\not=0 (mod p)$. We also study…

In 1947 Fine obtained an expression for the number of binomial coefficients on row n of Pascal's triangle that are nonzero modulo p. In this paper we use Kummer's theorem to generalize Fine's theorem to prime powers, expressing the number…

A beautiful theorem of Thomas Price links the Fibonacci numbers and the Lucas polynomials to the plane geometry of an ellipse, generalizing a classic problem about circles. We give a brief history of the circle problem, an account of…

In this note we shall improve some congruences of D.F. Bailey [Two p^3 variations of Lucas' Theorem, JNT 35(1990), pp. 208-215] to higher prime power moduli, by studying the relation between irregular pairs of the form (p,p-3) and refined…

For a nonnegative integer $n$, and a prime $\wp$ in $\mathbb{F}_q[T]$, we prove a result that provides a method for computing the number of integers $m$ with $0 \le m \le n$ for which the Carlitz binomial coefficients $\binom{n}{m}_C$ fall…

Let $p$ be an odd prime. In the paper we collect the author's various conjectures on congruences modulo $p$ or $p^2$, which are concerned with sums of binomial coefficients, Lucas sequences, power residues and special binary quadratic…

We observe that a sequence satisfies Lucas congruences modulo $p$ if and only if its values modulo $p$ can be described by a linear $p$-scheme, as introduced by Rowland and Zeilberger, with a single state. This simple observation suggests…

Let p be any prime and a be a positive integer. For nonnegative integers l,n and an integer r, the normalized cyclotomic $\psi$-coefficient $${n,r}_{l,p^a}:=p^{-[(n-p^{a-1}-lp^a)/(p^{a-1}(p-1))]} \sum_{k=r(mod p^a)}(-1)^k{n \choose…

A classical result of A. Fleck states that if p is a prime, and n>0 and r are integers, then $$\sum_{k=r(mod p)}\binom {n}{k}(-1)^k=0 (mod p^{[(n-1)/(p-1)]}).$$ Recently R. M. Wilson used Fleck's congruence and Weisman's extension to…

Given two variables $s$ and $t$, the associated sequence of Lucas polynomials is defined inductively by $\{0\}=0$, $\{1\}=1$, and $\{n\}=s\{n-1\}+t\{n-2\}$ for $n\ge2$. An integer (e.g., a Catalan number) defined by an expression of the…