# Math Help - Congruence

1. ## Congruence

Hi,

How tow show that ( $\forall n \in$ N) $5n^3+n \equiv 0[6]$????

2. Originally Posted by bhitroofen01
Hi,

How tow show that ( $\forall n \in$ N) $5n^3+n \equiv 0[6]$????
This congruence can be rewritten as:
$-n^3+n \equiv 0 \pmod 6$
$n^3 \equiv n \pmod 6$

One way is to try all possibilities: $n\equiv 0,\ldots,n\equiv 5$.
Another possibility is to notice that this is equivalent to two congruences
$n^3 \equiv n \pmod 2$
$n^3 \equiv n \pmod 3$
and verify the validity of them.

You can notice that one of them is exactly Fermat's little theorem for exponent 3.

I do not think that the original congruence can be obtained directly from Euler's theorem, but it might be useful for you to notice, that Euler's theorem implies this congruence for all n coprime to 6.

3. $5n^3 + n \equiv -n^3 + n = -n(n^2-1) = -(n-1)(n)(n+1) (mod6)$

we know that the product of $k$ consecutive integers is the multiple of $k!$ so in this case , it is the multiple of $3! = 6$ , $-(n-1)(n)(n+1) \equiv 0 (mod6)$