Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-algebra-2-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2014/2/c/i/solution
Past exam of the algebra 2 course of the University of Oxford 2014 2 c i Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-31
Use the reduction criterion: a primitive integer-coefficient polynomial whose leading coefficient remains nonzero modulo a prime number is irreducible over if its reduction is irreducible over . This follows from Gauss lemma for polynomials, since a nontrivial factorization over the integers would reduce to a nontrivial factorization of the same degrees. For a monic polynomial the factors may be taken monic, so neither degree can drop.
Modulo the polynomial is . Its values at and are both , so it has no linear polynomial factor. A reducible quartic polynomial without a linear polynomial factor must factor into two irreducible quadratic polynomials. The only monic irreducible quadratic polynomial over is : among monic quadratic polynomials a nonzero constant is necessary, and has a root, while has none.
But , so and . ConsequentlyThus does not divide , excluding the remaining possible factorization. We obtain
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