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Exercise 1337Number theory › CongruencesOlympiadAdded 5 Nov 2026

((p − 1)/2)! modulo a prime p ≡ 3 (mod 4)

#Wilson's theorem#factorials modulo p#quadratic residues

Statement

Let p≡3(mod4)p\equiv3\pmod4 be a prime and m=p−12m=\frac{p-1}2. Prove that m!≡±1(modp)m!\equiv\pm1\pmod p.

Hint

Pair kk with p−kp-k in Wilson's product (p−1)!(p-1)!.

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Solution

Pairing. Wilson's theorem: (p−1)!≡−1(modp)(p-1)!\equiv-1\pmod p. Write
(p−1)!=∏k=1mk⋅∏k=1m(p−k)≡∏k=1mk⋅∏k=1m(−k)=(−1)m(m!)2(modp).(p-1)!=\prod_{k=1}^m k\cdot\prod_{k=1}^m(p-k)\equiv\prod_{k=1}^mk\cdot\prod_{k=1}^m(-k)=(-1)^m(m!)^2\pmod p.

Parity of mm. Since p≡3(mod4)p\equiv3\pmod4, m=p−12m=\frac{p-1}2 is odd, so (−1)m=−1(-1)^m=-1.

Conclusion. −1≡−(m!)2-1\equiv-(m!)^2, i.e. (m!)2≡1(modp)(m!)^2\equiv1\pmod p. Since pp is prime, m!≡±1(modp)m!\equiv\pm1\pmod p.

Check. p=7p=7: 3!=6≡−13!=6\equiv-1. p=11p=11: 5!=120≡−15!=120\equiv-1. p=23p=23: 11!≡1(mod23)11!\equiv1\pmod{23}.

Remark. For p≡1(mod4)p\equiv1\pmod4 the same computation gives (m!)2≡−1(m!)^2\equiv-1, which is the key to writing such a prime as a sum of two squares.

Lesson. Wilson's theorem plus the pairing k↔p−kk\leftrightarrow p-k turns (p−1)!(p-1)! into a square (up to sign) of half the product.