MathLabs

Problem 1

(a) Find all positive integers nn for which 2n−12^n-1 is divisible by 77. (b) Prove that no positive integer nn makes 2n+12^n+1 divisible by 77.
Step 2 of 4: Solve part (a)
2n≡1(mod7)  ⟺  n≡0(mod3)2^n\equiv1\pmod7\iff n\equiv0\pmod3
Detailed analysis

The residue 11 occurs exactly at exponents divisible by 33. Hence 7∣(2n−1)7\mid(2^n-1) exactly when nn is a positive multiple of 33.