MATH30010: Field Theory Homework 4: Solutions

1. Let n := e2i/n = cos 2 n + i sin 2 n C.

(So (n )n = 1.) Explain why n is an element of (multiplicative) order n in C. Show that the minimal polynomial over Q of p , for p prime, is 1 + x + + xp1 .
n = e2i = 1, while if k < n then Solution: Certainly n k n = e2ki/n = e2qi = cos(2q ) + i sin(2q ) = 1

since 0 < q < 1 = 0 < 2q < 2 = cos(2q ) = 1. Let = p . In C we have 0 = p 1 = ( 1)( p1 + + + 1) = 1 + + + p1 = 0 since 1 = 0. But for p prime the polynomial 1 + x + + xp1 Q[x] is irreducible (proved in class). Thus this is the minimal polynomial of . 2. Find the minimal polynomial over R of n for any n N. Solution: If w is any nonreal complex number, then the minimal polynomial of w over R is q (x) = (x w)(x w ) = x2 2 (w)x + |w|2 . Now the minimal polynomial of 1 = 1 is x 1 and the minimal polynomial of 2 = 1 is x + 1. If n > 2, then n is a non-real complex number. Observe that |n | = 1 and n = cos(2/n). Thus the minimal polynomial of n over R is q (x) = x2 2 cos 2 n x + 1.

3. Let F be any eld, and suppose that F has order 8. Prove that 4 = 1 and that 2 = 2 . Show that 2 is a square in F . Solution: We have ( 4 )2 = 1. Thus 4 is a root of x2 1. The two roots of this quadratic are 1 and 1. Since has order 8, 4 = 1. Thus 4 = 1. Since 8 = 1, 2 = 6 = 4 2 = 2 . Finally, we have in F : ( + 1 )2 = 2 + 2 1 + 2 = 2.

4. Let L/F be a eld extension. Let L and let a, b F with b = 0. Prove that F ( ) = F (a + b ) as subelds of L. Solution: Recall that F ( ) is the smallest subeld of L containing F and . Thus, if K is any eld containing F as a subeld and containing , we have F ( ) K . Let = a + b . Then F F ( ) and 1 = ( a) F ( ). b Thus F ( ) F ( ). But conversely F ( ) = F ( ) F ( ). Thus F ( ) = F ( ). 5. Let L/F be a eld extension. Let L. Let F (x) denote as usual the eld of rational functions over F . (a) Suppose that is algebraic over F . We try to dene a eld homomorphism : F (x) F ( ) by p(x) p( ) . q (x) q ( ) Explain why this is not a well-dened map. (b) Suppose that is transcendental over F . Show that the map : F (x) F ( ) sending p( ) p ( x) to q ( x) q ( ) is a well-dened isomorphism of elds. (c) Suppose that , L are both transcendental over F . Prove that F ( ) = F ( ). Solution: (a) If q (x) is the minimal polynomial of , then p(x)/q (x) is a welldened element of F (x), since q (x) = 0, but p( )/q ( ) is not a well-dened element of F ( ) since q ( ) = 0. (b) First of all, since is not algebraic over F , if q (x) is any nonzero element of F [x], then q ( ) = 0 and thus p( )/q ( ) is a welldened element of F ( ). Furthermore, p(x) r ( x) = in F (x) q (x) s(x) h( ) = p( )s( ) q ( )r( ) in F ( ) h(x) = p(x)s(x) q (x)r(x) = 0 in F [x] p( ) r( ) = in F ( ). q ( ) s( )

Thus the map : F (x) F ( ), p(x) p( ) q (x) q ( )

is a well-dened map of sets. It is surjective, by denition of F ( ). We must prove that it is a eld homomorphism: Certainly (1) = 1, by denition. Also, p(x)s(x) + r(x)q (x) p(x) r(x) + = q (x) s(x) q (x)s(x) p( ) r( ) p( )s( ) + r( )q ( ) = + = q ( )s( ) q ( ) s( ) p(x) r(x) = + q (x) s(x) and p(x) r(x) p(x)r(x) = q (x) s(x) q (x)s(x) p( ) r( ) p(x) p( )r( ) r(x) = = = . q ( )s( ) q ( ) s( ) q (x) s ( x) So is a eld embedding and thus an isomorphism of elds. (c) By (b), we have isomorphisms : F (x) F ( ) (sending x to ) and : F (x) F ( ) (sending x to ). Thus 1 is an isomorphism from F ( ) to F ( ) sending to . 6. Write down the addition and multiplication tables for a eld with 4 elements 0, 1, a, b. Solution: Since x2 + x + 1 is irreducible in F2 [x], F4 := F2 (x2 + x + 1) is a eld of order 22 = 4. The elements are 0, 1, a := , b := 1+ . Thus 1 + a = b, a + b = 1 + 2 = 1, b + 1 = a. We have a2 = 2 = 1 + = b, ab = + 2 = 1 + 2 = 1 and b2 = (1 + )2 = 1 + 2 = = a. The addition table for F4 is + 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 a a b b b a and the multiplication table is a b a b b a 0 1 1 0

 1 a 1 1 a a a b b b 1

b b 1 a

7. Let F2 (x3 + x + 1) be a root of x3 + x + 1 F2 [x]. Let = 3 . Prove that is a root of x3 + x2 + 1 F2 [x]. Deduce that there is a eld isomorphism F2 (x3 + x + 1) = F2 (x3 + x2 + 1) (both elds have order 8, of course). Solution:. Let L = F2 (x3 + x + 1), with typical element a + b + c2 and K = F2 (x3 + x2 + 1) with typical element a + b + c 2 . These are both elds of order 8. Let = 3 = 1 + L. Then 2 = (1 + 2 ) = 1 + 2 and 3 = (1+ )(1+ 2 ) = 1+ + 2 + 3 = 2 = 1+ 2 . Hence 3 + 2 +1 = 0 in L. So is a root of the irreducible polynomial 1 + x2 + x3 F2 [x]. It follows (from a theorem proved in class) that F2 ( ) L is isomorphic to K = F2 (x3 + x2 + 1). But then F2 ( ) has order 8 and hence F2 ( ) = L and L = K. 8. Let : F F be a eld homomorphism. Show that Fix() := {a F | (a) = a} is a subeld of F . Solution: Let L = Fix(). Recall: If L is any subset of a eld F , then to prove that L is a subeld it is enough to prove that 0, 1 L, that if a, b L then a + b, ab and a are in L, and if 0 = a L then 1/a L. Now (0) = 0 and (1) = 1 by a previous exercise. So 0, 1 L. let a, b L. So (a) = a and (b) = b. Then (a + b) = (a) + (b) = a + b = a + b L, (ab) = (a)(b) = ab = ab L, (a) = (a) = a = a L and if a = 0 then (a1 ) = (a)1 = a1 = a1 L. This proves that L is a subeld of F . [Note: It follows that Q Fix() if the characteristic of F is 0 and that Fp Fix() if the characteristic of F is p > 0. Why?] 9. Let F be a eld of characteristic p > 0. Prove that the map : F F, a ap is a eld homomorphism. (You may wish to use the fact p that the binomial coecients k are divisible by p for 1 k p 1.) Solution: We have (1) = 1p = 1. For all a, b F we have (a + b) = (a + b)p = ap + p p1 p pk k a b + + a b + + b p = ap + b p 1 k

since m = 0 in F if m is any integer divisible by p, and the binomial p coecients k are all divisible by p for 1 k p 1. Thus (a + b) = (a) + (b) for all a, b F . Finally, (ab) = (ab)p = ap bp = (a)(b) for all a, b F . So is a eld homomorphism from F to F .