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=head1 NAME
lap - compute least annihilating power of a number
=head1 SYNOPSIS
lap <a> <m>
=head1 DESCRIPTION
The B<lap> program computes the order of I<a> modulo I<m>, for
arbitrary precision integers I<a> and I<m>. The B<order> of I<a>
modulo I<m> is defined as the smallest positive value I<n> for which
I<a> raised to the I<n>th power, modulo I<m>, is equal to 1. The
order may not exist, if I<m> is composite.
=head1 RESTRICTIONS
This program is very slow, especially for large moduli. It is
intended as a way to help find primitive elements in a modular field,
but it does not do so in a particularly inefficient manner. It was
written simply to help verify that a particular candidate does not
have an obviously short cycle mod I<m>.
=head1 SEE ALSO
gcd(1), invmod(1), isprime(1)
=head1 AUTHOR
Michael J. Fromberger <sting@linguist.dartmouth.edu>
Thayer School of Engineering, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
