On cubic residues and related problems (Q6114148)

Considering prime numbers \(p\equiv 1\) (mod 3), the authors seek to compute \(S_3(p)\), which is the number of integers \(a\in\{2,\ldots,p-2\}\) such that both \(a\pm \bar a\) are cubic residues mod \(p\), where \(\bar a\) denotes the multiplicative inverse of \(a\pmod p\). The formulas obtained are given in terms of the unique integers \(d\) and \(b\) determined by \(4p=d^2+27b^2\), with \(d\equiv 1\pmod 3\) and \(b>0\): \begin{itemize} \item[1.] When 2 is a cubic residue mod \(p\), we have \(S_3(p)=\frac 19(p+10d-17)\), assuming that \(p\equiv 1\pmod{12}\). This complements an existing result for the case \(p\equiv 7\pmod {12}\). \item[2.] When 2 is a non-residue, then \(S_3(p)=\frac 1{18}(2p+5d\pm 9b-10)\), where it is conjectured that the plus sign applies to \(p\equiv 1\pmod{12}\) and the minus to \(p\equiv 7\pmod {12}\). \end{itemize}