Problem

Source: Baltic Way 2014, Problem 18

Tags: symmetry, abstract algebra, modular arithmetic, number theory proposed, number theory



Let $p$ be a prime number, and let $n$ be a positive integer. Find the number of quadruples $(a_1, a_2, a_3, a_4)$ with $a_i\in \{0, 1, \ldots, p^n - 1\}$ for $i = 1, 2, 3, 4$, such that \[p^n \mid (a_1a_2 + a_3a_4 + 1).\]