On the number of representations by \(n!\) modulo a prime and applications (Q2145917)

The authors explore the distribution properties of \(n!\) modulo \(p\) and the associated upper bound estimation of the moment \(\sum_{\lambda}J^c(\lambda)\), where \(c\ge 1\) is a fixed real number, \(p\) is a large prime number, greater than the positive integer \(N\), and \(J(\lambda):= J(\lambda; N, p)\) is the number of solutions (i.e., representations, with \(\lambda\) integer) of the congruence \[ n! \equiv \lambda \pmod p, \quad 1\le n\le N. \] Recalling a scheme already employed by the first author [Rocky Mt. J. Math. 37, No. 5, 1551--1556 (2007; Zbl 1140.11019)], the paper establishes that: \[ \sum^{p-1}_{\lambda=1}J^c(\lambda) \ll \begin{cases} N^{\frac{2c}{3}}, & \text{ if }c>3,\\ N^2 \log N, & \text{ if }c=3,\\ N^{\frac{1+c}{2}}, & \text{ if }c <3. \end{cases} \] The authors also prove two related theorems, prevalently through the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality, and they conjecture a new bound for the cardinality of the exponential sums studied by \textit {M. Z. Garaev} et al., [J. Reine Angew. Math. 584, 29--44 (2004; Zbl 1071.11051)].