FAILURE MAP
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FA-5541 / Number theory / Open access

Modular multiplicative inverse · case 01

Fermat inversion is used without a prime-modulus precondition.

Verified by executionVariant 1 · 4 checks per implementationDownload source bundle ↓JSON ↗

ROOT CAUSE

Fermat inversion is used without a prime-modulus precondition.

VERIFIED REPAIR

Apply the specified mathematical contract directly, preserving all terms and boundary cases: return pow(a,-1,m) if math.gcd(a,m)==1 else None

Unsuccessful approach: Integer reciprocal is not a modular inverse.

Case contract

Integer inputs; n is positive unless a zero or negative fixture explicitly extends that operation. A modulus is greater than one; p is prime; exponent k may be signed when an inverse exists. a may be signed; return the least nonnegative inverse modulo m or None if gcd(a,m)!=1. Exact operational definition: pow(a,-1,m) if math.gcd(a,m)==1 else None

Why this case matters

Small exact fixtures expose this error without platform timing, external services, or probabilistic observations. Number theory results depend on the stated convention.

1 / The failure

Exit 1
"""Failure Map reference implementation. Python standard library only."""
import json
import math
import calendar
import statistics
import itertools
from fractions import Fraction
from datetime import date, datetime, timedelta, timezone
from decimal import Decimal, ROUND_HALF_UP, ROUND_DOWN, ROUND_CEILING, ROUND_FLOOR

N = 1
observations = []
def solve(a, m):
    return pow(a,m-2,m)
def check(label, actual, expected):
    observations.append({"check": label, "actual": actual, "expected": expected, "passed": actual == expected})
check('fixture 1: (3, 10)', solve(*(3, 10)), 7)
check('fixture 2: (2, 5)', solve(*(2, 5)), 3)
check('fixture 3: (2, 4)', solve(*(2, 4)), None)
check('fixture 4: (-3, 10)', solve(*(-3, 10)), 3)
print(json.dumps({"observations": observations, "passed": all(x["passed"] for x in observations)}, ensure_ascii=False))
raise SystemExit(0 if all(x["passed"] for x in observations) else 1)
Boundary fixtureActualExpectedOutcome
fixture 1: (3, 10)17Failed
fixture 2: (2, 5)33Passed
fixture 3: (2, 4)0NoneFailed
fixture 4: (-3, 10)13Failed

SHA-256 / 1a9f81ae2b0d496c6e76b5a3464887e38d877ea6b6073a5392e1dd0650b45d28

2 / The unsuccessful fix

Exit 1
"""Failure Map reference implementation. Python standard library only."""
import json
import math
import calendar
import statistics
import itertools
from fractions import Fraction
from datetime import date, datetime, timedelta, timezone
from decimal import Decimal, ROUND_HALF_UP, ROUND_DOWN, ROUND_CEILING, ROUND_FLOOR

N = 1
observations = []
def solve(a, m):
    return 1//a if a else None
def check(label, actual, expected):
    observations.append({"check": label, "actual": actual, "expected": expected, "passed": actual == expected})
check('fixture 1: (3, 10)', solve(*(3, 10)), 7)
check('fixture 2: (2, 5)', solve(*(2, 5)), 3)
check('fixture 3: (2, 4)', solve(*(2, 4)), None)
check('fixture 4: (-3, 10)', solve(*(-3, 10)), 3)
print(json.dumps({"observations": observations, "passed": all(x["passed"] for x in observations)}, ensure_ascii=False))
raise SystemExit(0 if all(x["passed"] for x in observations) else 1)
Boundary fixtureActualExpectedOutcome
fixture 1: (3, 10)07Failed
fixture 2: (2, 5)03Failed
fixture 3: (2, 4)0NoneFailed
fixture 4: (-3, 10)-13Failed

SHA-256 / 502213d5a548cec5e71b2c6a904b8c767838a2487b19d05ae4536edfdf84e477

3 / The verified repair

Exit 0
"""Failure Map reference implementation. Python standard library only."""
import json
import math
import calendar
import statistics
import itertools
from fractions import Fraction
from datetime import date, datetime, timedelta, timezone
from decimal import Decimal, ROUND_HALF_UP, ROUND_DOWN, ROUND_CEILING, ROUND_FLOOR

N = 1
observations = []
def solve(a, m):
    return pow(a,-1,m) if math.gcd(a,m)==1 else None
def check(label, actual, expected):
    observations.append({"check": label, "actual": actual, "expected": expected, "passed": actual == expected})
check('fixture 1: (3, 10)', solve(*(3, 10)), 7)
check('fixture 2: (2, 5)', solve(*(2, 5)), 3)
check('fixture 3: (2, 4)', solve(*(2, 4)), None)
check('fixture 4: (-3, 10)', solve(*(-3, 10)), 3)
print(json.dumps({"observations": observations, "passed": all(x["passed"] for x in observations)}, ensure_ascii=False))
raise SystemExit(0 if all(x["passed"] for x in observations) else 1)
Boundary fixtureActualExpectedOutcome
fixture 1: (3, 10)77Passed
fixture 2: (2, 5)33Passed
fixture 3: (2, 4)NoneNonePassed
fixture 4: (-3, 10)33Passed

SHA-256 / 0545f810d55a18dbdef437550dcfbc2abac917ef1d2d6476734f28abf2e1c479

Verification & scope

This reproducer isolates one failure mechanism. Results cover the supplied fixtures. Variants within a family share a test contract and should remain grouped when constructing evaluation splits. Related mechanisms with a shared evaluation_group must also remain together; these controlled models are not independent production incidents.

Observations recorded using Python 3.12.14 at 2026-09-29T14:37:50.797141+00:00.

Case digest / c37a848bb38536d29cfbc6f15bd4c4e287935bb67cf75b9d398f47cb3e7b3f46