Math Help - Sum of primitive roots module p

1. Sum of primitive roots module p

Let p be a prime, show that the sum of all the primitive roots module p is congruent to $u(p-1)$ module p. u is the mobius function.
I am considering the polymonial $\Pi (x-g^k)$ in $Z/pZ[x]$, where g is a primitive root, and the product is taken over all k such that g^k is also a primitive root. and...???

Any help or new idea would be appriciated.

2. A couple ideas.

Idea 1: Let $g$ be a primitive root module $p$.

What you want to compute is: $\displaystyle\sum_{(k,p-1)=1; 1\leq k \leq p-1} g^k$ in module p.

Idea 2: Let $f:\mathbb{Q}^+\to \mathbb{R}$ and $F(n) = \displaystyle\sum_{(k,n)=1; 1\leq k \leq n} f \left( \frac{k}{n}\right)$

Then it can be shown that: $\sum_{k|n} F(k) = \sum_{k=1}^n f\left(\frac{k}{n}\right)$ - prove this!.

Mixing these 2 well works, I leave you the rest.

3. I have proved the idea 2 by argument on the fractions k/n, where all k are between 1 and n.
But I don't see how idea 2 is applied to this problem.
Will you expain the details, please? or give a hint. Thanks again for you new idea.

4. First, we begin ignoring the module (and then eventually we will take the module).

We want to be able to compute $F(n) = \displaystyle\sum_{(k,n)=1; 1\leq k \leq n} f \left( \frac{k}{n}\right)$ where $f \left( \frac{k}{n}\right) = a^{\tfrac{k}{n}}$ for a fixed $a\in \mathbb{R}$

We know that $\sum_{k|n} F(k) = \sum_{k=1}^n a^{\tfrac{k}{n}} = \displaystyle\frac{a^{\tfrac{1}{n}} - a^{\tfrac{1}{n} + 1}}{1-a^{\tfrac{1}{n}}}$

Now we apply Möbius inversion formula: $F(n) = \sum_{d|n}{\mu\left(\frac{n}{d}\right)\cdot \frac{a^{\tfrac{1}{d}} - a^{\tfrac{1}{d} + 1}}{1-a^{\tfrac{1}{d}}} }$

Set $n = p-1$ and $a = g^{p-1}$

Thus: $F(p-1) = \displaystyle\sum_{d|(p-1)}{\mu\left(\frac{p-1}{d}\right)\cdot g^{\frac{p-1}{d}} \cdot \frac{1 - g^{p-1}}{1- g^{\frac{p-1}{d}}}$ - no module involved yet.

But now, $g^{p-1} \equiv 1 (\bmod. p)$ and $g^{\tfrac{p-1}{d}} \not\equiv 1 (\bmod. p)$ for all $d|(p-1)$ such that $d>1$ ( since g is a primitive root) and so in those cases we have that $\frac{1 - g^{p-1}}{1- g^{\frac{p-1}{d}}}$ is a multiple of $p$ (it's not difficult to see it's an integer).

Hence $F(p-1)\equiv \mu(p-1) \cdot g^{p-1} \cdot \frac{1 - g^{p-1}}{1- g^{p-1}} (\bmod. p)$, therefore $F(p-1) \equiv \mu(p-1) (\bmod.p)$

But $F(p-1)(\bmod.p)$ is what we wanted to compute! - by idea 1.

5. but then 1-g^(p-1) is equivlent to 0 mod p. what is 0/0 mod p? I think, it can be any nonzero element in Z/pZ, or even 0 itself. It is not well defined, and I am not convinced that it equals 1. why not 2 ?
we can't just ignore the fraction part, right? I believe, you have noticed that, too.
Although a little disagreement appears, thank you all the same.
I am expecting your reply on this disagreement.

6. Ooops, I misunderstand you solution.
I uderstand it completely now.

7. Originally Posted by Shanks
but then 1-g^(p-1) is equivlent to 0 mod p. what is 0/0 mod p?
I made the mistake of not writing that that term equals 1 before taking the module, all the same, it is still equal to 1. In fact, the whole thing of "not taking module yet" was to try not to confuse you with these sort of issues.