In order to ensure the safe transmission of information, the security department adopts the key cryptosystem. The principle of encryption and decryption is as shown in the figure: now the decryption key is x → y = a.
The decryption key is: x→ y = ax (a > 0, a≠ 1),
Similarly, the ciphertext "3" was decrypted to get plaintext "8".
Therefore, 8=a3, a=2,
So the decryption key is: x→y=2x,
So when that plaintext input by the input side is "4",
I.e. 4=2x,
The solution is x=2.
So the answer is: 2