Math 403, Homework 7

Mitchell Harper
February 24, 2015

Exercise 13
Let : A B, : B C be homomorphisms. We examine .
We have (r1 + r2 ) = ((r1 + r2 )) = ((r1 ) + (r2 )) (as is a homomorphism) =
((r1 )) + ((r2 )) (as is a homomorphism) = (r1 ) + (r2 )).
The same argument as above, replacing + with , gives that (r1 r2 ) = (r1 )
(r2 ).
Finally, ((1A )) = (1B ) (as is a homomorphism) = 1C (as is an isomorphism).
Then satisfies that the definitions of a homomorphism.
Now, assume both and are isomorphism. We have already shown that is a
homomorphism. Now, we have is a surjection between A and B, so ((A)) = (B). We
also have (B) = C as is an isomorphism, and is surjective. Then (A) = C. We also
have that each , is injective, is injective. Then : A C is a bijection. Then
is an isomorphism.

Exercise 15
Let R be a ring with characteristic c. Let : R S be a homomorphism. We proceed by
examining cases of c.
First, assume c = 0. Then there is no positive integer n such that 1R + 1R 1R ,
n times, is 0R . Then (1R + 1R + 1R + 1R ) 6= (0R ) for any value of n. This gives
1S + 1S + . . . + 1S 6= 0S , as is a homomorphism. Then S has characteristic 0, and the
characteristic of R is the characteristic
of S.
P
P
P
Now, assume c > 0. Then ci=1 1R = 0R . This gives that ci=1 1s = ( ci=1 1R ) =
(0R ) = 0S . Then the characteristic of S is at most c. Assume to the contrary the characteristic of S does not divide R. It cant be that S has characteristic 0, because then
(1R + 1R + + 1R ) 6= (0R ), and 1R + 1R + . . . + 1R cannot be 0R for any value of n, and
R would have characteristic 0. Then the characteristic of S, call it s, is greater than 0.
We have that the characteristic of S is upper bounded by c and is less than c. Then by
the division algorithm, there are integers a, r such that as + r = c, with 0 r < s. We
also have that r > 0, otherwise s would divide c. We can then group up sums of 1S , with a

remainder sum of

Pr

i=1

1S , to yield
s
X
i=1

1S + . . . +

r
X
i=1

1S =

c
X

1S .

i=0

Pr
Pc
As S has characteristic
s,
all
of
the
groups
of
s
summands
are
0,
and
1
=
s
i=1
i=1 1S .
Pr
Pc
Pc
This gives that i=1 1S = i=1 (1R ) = ( i=1 1R ) = (0R ) = 0S . This gives that S has
characteristic r as r < s, which is a contradiction.
Then our assumption that s does not divide c cannot hold, and s must divide c.
Then for any value of c, the characteristic of S divides the characteristic of R.

Exercise 16
Let F be a field, and let f, g F [x] be relatively prime polynomials. Define : F [x]
(F [x]/hf i) (F [x]/hgi) as h 7 (h + hf i, h + hgi).
Lemma. is a homomorphism.
Proof. We have that for a, b F [x], that (a + b) = ((a + b) + hf i, (a + b) + hgi) =
((a+hf i)+(b+hf i)), ((a+hgi)+(b+hgi))) = (a+hf i, a+hgi)+(b+hf i, b+hgi) = (a)+(b).
We also have that for a, b F [x], that (ab) = ((ab) + hf i, (ab) + hgi) = ((a + hf i) (b +
hf i)), ((a + hgi) (b + hgi))) = (a + hf i, a + hgi) (b + hf i, b + hgi) = (a) (b).
Finally, we have that (0) = (0 + hf i, 0 + hgi) = (hf i, hgi), which is the additive identity
of (F [x]/hf i) (F [x]/hgi) by the definition of 0 for a direct product.
Then satisfies the definitions of a homomorphism.
Lemma. is a surjective map.
Proof. We have that, for any coset in F [x]/hf i, that it can be represented by a polynomial
of degree less than f . The same holds for F [x]/hgi. Let deg(r) < deg(f ), deg(s) < deg(g),
with r, s F [x]. I claim that we can find an a F [x] such that (a) = (r + hf i, s + hgi).
If either of f, g is zero, assume without loss of generality f , then the image of is
{h + h0i : h F [x]} {h + hgi : h F [x]}. As h0i = {0}, and the cosets of hgi span all of
F [x], we get that is surjective.
Otherwise, assume f, g are both nonzero. We have that, as f, g are relatively prime,
that we can find an m, n F [x] such that mf + ng = 1. Let a = rng + smf . Then
(a) = ((rng + smf ) + hf i, (rng + smf ) + hgi). We first examine (rng + smf ) + hf i. This is
(rng + hf i) + (smf + hf i). We see that smf + hf i = (sm + hf i)(f + hf i) = (s + hf i)(0 + hf i),
which yields the additive identity as F [x]/hf i is a ring. We also see that rng + hf i = (r +
hf i)(ng + hf i). We see that mf + ng (ng + hf i), so 1 (ng + hf i). Then the representative
polynomial of ng + hf i is 1, and ng + hf i = 1 + hf i. Then (r + hf i)(ng + hf i) = r + hf i, and
we yield that a + hf i = r + hf i. A similar argument holds to show that a + hgi = s + hgi,
by replacing f with g, m with n, and r with s. Then (a) = (r + hf i, s + hgi).
As the choice of r, s was arbitrary, for any element in F [x]/hf i F [x]/hgi, we can find a
polynomial in F [x] that maps to it. Then is a surjective map for any choice of relatively
prime f, g.
2

Lemma. ker() = hf gi.

Proof. First, assume p hf gi. Then p = af g for some a F [x]. Then p+hf i = af g +hf i =
(ag+hf i)(f +hf i) = (ag+hf i)(0+hf i) = 0+hf i. A similar argument shows p+hgi = 0+hgi.
Now, assume (p) = 0. Then p + hf i = p + hgi, and p = af , p = bg for some a, b F [x].
Then af = bg. As f divides the left side, f divides the right side as well. But as f, g are
relatively prime, it must be that f divides b, and b is a multiple of f . A similar argument
shows a is a multiple of g. Then p = cf g for some c F [x], and p hf gi.
Then (p) = 0 if and only if p hf gi, and ker() = hf gi.
Then we have is a surjective homormorphism with kernel hf gi, so by the third isomorphism theorem we have that
F [x]/hf gi
= (F [x]/hf i) (F [x]/hgi).