Factorial residues modulo a prime: beyond the square-root bound

Abstract

For a prime \(p\), let \(A_p=\{k!\pmod p:1\leq k<p\}\). We prove \(|A_p|\gg p^{8/15}\), improving the general lower bound \((\sqrt{2}-o(1))p^{1/2}\). The proof begins with the identity \((n+2)!=(n+1)!+((n+1)!)^2/n!\) in \(\mathbb{F}_p\), which produces many incidences for a family of fractional-linear maps. After Cauchy--Schwarz, the transition maps between two members of this family become affine lines, with multiplicity at most two. The Cartesian-product point-line incidence theorem of Stevens and de Zeeuw then yields the exponent \(8/15\).

6 pages, 1 figure. Comments welcome