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H A Helfgott
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Fixed points of $x\mapsto 2^{2^{2^{2^x}}} \mod p$

Let $p$ be a prime. For how many elements $x$ of $\{0,1,\dotsc,p-1\}$ can it be the case that $$2^{2^{2^{2^x}}} = x \mod p?$$

In particular, can you find a simple proof (or, even better, several simple proofs!) of the fact that this can happen only for $< \epsilon\cdot p$ elements $x$ of $\{0,1,\dotsc,p-1\}$?

(Assume, if needed, that $2$ is a primitive root of $\mathbb{Z}/p\mathbb{Z}$.)

H A Helfgott
  • 20.2k
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  • 43
  • 126