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    Number of elements of order $4$ in $\Aut(\ZZ/20)$

    P-SUU6D

    Area
    Algebra
    Topics
    Automorphisms, Cyclic Groups, Number Theory
    Status
    draft

    How many elements in the automorphism group \(\operatorname{Aut}(\mathbb{Z}/20\mathbb{Z})\) have order 4?

    Solution

    Since \(\mathbb Z/20\mathbb Z\) is cyclic, \[ \operatorname{Aut}(\mathbb Z/20\mathbb Z)\cong(\mathbb Z/20\mathbb Z)^\times. \] By the Chinese remainder theorem, \[ (\mathbb Z/20\mathbb Z)^\times \cong(\mathbb Z/4\mathbb Z)^\times\times(\mathbb Z/5\mathbb Z)^\times \cong C_2\times C_4. \] An element \((a,b)\in C_2\times C_4\) has order \(4\) exactly when \(b\) has order \(4\). There are two choices for \(a\) and two elements of order \(4\) in \(C_4\), hence \[ 2\cdot2=4 \] such elements.

    Explicitly, they correspond to \[ 3,7,13,17\pmod{20}. \] Therefore the answer is \[ \boxed{4}. \]