Jtdylktuy

Consider multiplication group tables modulo $n$ with entries $k_{ij} = (icdot j) % n$ visualized according to these principles:

• 
  

  Colors are assigned to numbers $0 leq k leq n$ from

  
  
  
  
  

  • $color{black}{textsf{black}}$ for $k=0$ over

  
  

  • $color{red}{textsf{red}}$ for $k=lfloor n/4rfloor$ and

  
  

  • $color{silver}{textsf{white}}$ for $k=lfloor n/2rfloor$ and

  
  

  • $color{blue}{textsf{blue}}$ for $k=lfloor 3n/4rfloor$ back to

  
  

  • $color{black}{textsf{black}}$ for $k = n$

  
  
  
  


• 
  

  Sizes are assigned to numbers $0 leq k leq n$ by

  
  
  
  
  

  • $textsf{1.5}$ if $k=lfloor n/4rfloor$ or $lfloor 3n/4rfloor$

  
  

  • $textsf{1.0}$ otherwise

  
  
  
  



• Positions are shifted by $(n/2,n/2)$ modulo $n$ to bring $(0,0)$ to the center of the table.

Visualized this way, you will occasionally find (for some $n$) highly regular multiplication group tables like these (with $n=12,20,28,44,52,68$):

My question is:

Why do these patterns occur exactly when $n = 4p$ with a prime number $p$?

Find here some examples for $n neq 4p$, e.g. $n=61, 62, 63, 64$:

Here for some other prime numbers: $n = 4cdot 31 = 124$ and $n = 4cdot 37 = 148$:

One may observe that for $n = 4m$ and $x,y = m$ or $x,y = 3m$ the "size 1.5" dots are systematically separated by $0$ (= black) and $n/2$ (= white) dots, i.e. that there are only and exactly $4$ values along these lines.

For the sake of completeness: the multiplication group table modulo $8 = 4cdot 2$ (which also qualifies, but not so obviously):

To elaborate a bit on Robert Israels fine answer, first note that:
$$
begin{align}
xy&equiv n/4\
xy&equiv 3n/4
end{align}
$$
implies that $n$ must be divisible by $4$. Hence we only have such situations when $n=4q$ for some $q$. This is true whether $q$ is prime or not. So let us consider $n=4q$ a bit further. Then we look at:
$$
begin{align}
xy&equiv q\
xy&equiv 3q
end{align}
$$
which can be summarized as:
$$
xy=q(2m+1)
$$
for some $m$. This actually reveals why $n=64=4cdot 16$ also appears to somewhat work. Here $q=16$ so any solutions to $xy=16(2m+1)$ will work. We have the lines $x,y=pm2,pm4,pm8,pm16$ with varying density of "size 1.5" points.

When $q$ is prime, the picture becomes simpler since all solutions to $xy=q(2m+1)$ have to lie on one of the four lines $x=pm q,y=pm q$.

UPDATE: Some insights on the general case here. Write $n=4q+t$ for $tin{-1,0,1,2}$. Then we have:
$$
begin{align}
lfloor n/4rfloor &= q+lfloor t/4rfloor\
lfloor 3n/4rfloor &= 3q+lfloor 3t/4rfloor
end{align}
$$
where we can make the following table:
$$
begin{array}{c|r|r|r|r}
t & -1 & 0 & 1 & 2\
hline
lfloor t/4rfloor & -1 & 0 & 0 & 0\
lfloor 3t/4rfloor & -1 & 0 & 0 & 1
end{array}
$$
and so we can cover each $t$-case based on that.

CASE $t=0$

Let us first reconsider the case $t=0$ so that $n=4q$, which was already covered above.
Then:
$$
xy=q(2mu+1)
$$
will yield "size 1.5" dots. If $q=ab$ is composite then:
$$
begin{align}
x&=a\
y&=b(2mu+1)
end{align}
$$
will yield a vertical line of points $2b$ apart that are all of "size 1.5". If on the other hand $q$ is prime, then:
$$
begin{align}
x&=q\
y&=2mu+1
end{align}
$$
will yield a very visible vertical line of points only $2$ apart.

CASE $t=1$

Suppose $t=1$. Then $n=4q+1$. For this case, having $xyequivlfloor n/4rfloor=q$ implies:
$$
begin{align}
xy &=q+mu n
end{align}
$$
Now, since $q,n$ are relatively prime, $mu$ must be a multiple of $q$ for two such situations to have any shared factor. So assume $mu=gamma q$. Then:
$$
xy=(gamma n+1)q
$$
So if $q=ab$ we have:
$$
begin{align}
x &= a\
y &= (gamma n+1)b
end{align}
$$
showing that no vertical lines can exist, since the $y$-values must be far more than $n$ units apart. On the other hand, plugging in $mu=0$ in the $y$-expression above shows why points tend to lie on the hyperbola:
$$
xy=q
$$

I think the other cases can be broken down in a similar fashion, so I will stop here.

If $n=4p$, then for $xy equiv p$ or $3p$ mod $n$ you need $p$ to divide $x$ or $y$ but $2$ to divide neither: thus the "size $1.5$" dots are all on the lines $x = p$, $x = 3p$, $y = p$ and $y = 3p$.