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Question: Find an integer that solves the congruence $$x^{83}\equiv 7 \pmod{139}$$


My working: Let $b$ denote some primitive root of the prime mod 139, and let $$x\equiv b^y\mod 139$$ for some integer $y$. Likewise, let $$7\equiv b^k \mod 139$$ for some integer k. Then, $$b^{83y}\equiv b^k \mod 139$$, and by a property of primitive roots, $$83y\equiv k \mod 138$$. So after solving for $y$, and then going back to find $x$, we have $x\equiv b^y \equiv b^{83^{-1}k}\equiv(\underbrace{b^k}_{7})^{83^{-1}}\equiv 7^{83^{-1}} \mod 139$. Then from using the computer calculator (or otherwise), I got $83^{-1}\equiv67 \mod 139$. So my final answer is $x\equiv122 \mod 139$, but when I check with the computer, $122^{83}\not\equiv7\pmod{139}$ (in fact, the solution seems to be 127), which confuses me. Did I make a mistake / do a fallacious step somewhere?

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  • $\begingroup$ Cf. this question $\endgroup$ Commented Oct 26, 2023 at 10:42
  • $\begingroup$ Simpler, as in the dupe, raising both side to power $\,\frac{1}{83}\equiv 5\pmod{\!\color{#c00}{138}}\,$ yields $\,x\equiv 7^5\pmod{\!\color{#0a0}{139}}\ \ $ $\endgroup$ Commented Oct 26, 2023 at 17:14

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$83^{-1}\pmod{138}=5$ and $7^5\pmod{139}=127$ you calculated the inverse modulo $139$ instead of $138$.

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