TITLE: Prove that if $n$ is not divisible by $5$, then $n^4 \equiv 1 \pmod{5}$
QUESTION [7 upvotes]: Suppose $n$ is an integer which is not divisible by $5$. Prove that $n^4 \equiv 1 \pmod{5}$.

REPLY [3 votes]: $n^{4}-1 = (n^{2}-1)(n^{2}+1)$ and (mod $5$) we have $n^{2}+1 \equiv  n^{2} - 5n +6 = (n-2)(n-3),$
while also (mod $5$), we have $n^{2}-1 = (n-1)(n+1) \equiv (n-1)(n-4).$ Hence we have $(n^{4}-1) \equiv  (n-1)(n-2)(n-3)(n-4) $ (mod $5$), and as long as $n$ is not divisible by $5$, one of $n-1,n-2,n-3,n-4$ is divisible by $5$.