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Theorem

Fermat's Little Theorem

Number Theory

If p is a prime number and a is any integer not divisible by p, then a raised to the power p minus 1 is congruent to 1 modulo p. It underlies many primality tests and much of elementary number theory, and is a special case of Euler's theorem.

Facts
Statement
Fermat's little theorem states that if p is a prime number, then for any integer a, the number ap − a is an integer multiple of p. 1
Proof Year
1736 1
Classification
Statement Form
Identity or Equation 1
Connections

Has Statement Form

Equation, Concepts
Identity, Concepts

In Branch

Named After

Proved By

Sources
1. Fermat's Little Theorem (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia Foundation
  • lead section, first paragraph
    Fermat's little theorem states that if p is a prime number, then for any integer a, the number ap − a is an integer multiple of p.
  • History section, Euler proof sentence
    Euler provided the first published proof in 1736
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