Let p be a prime, and suppose that x1,…,xN are independent random variables which take the values 0, 1,…,p − 1 with probabilities s0, sl…,sp−1 where s0+…+sp−1 = 1 and 0 < sk < 1 for each k. PN(n) denotes the probability that the elementary symmetric function σr(x1,…,xN) = ∑x1…,xr of the rth degree in the variables x1,…,xN is congruent, modulo p, to a prescribed integer n.