Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-algebra-2-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2015/3/a/solution
Past exam of the algebra 2 course of the University of Oxford 2015 3 a Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-31
For a nonzero polynomial , its polynomial content is the positive greatest common divisor of its coefficients:For nonzero , choose a positive integer with and define its rational polynomial content byTo check independence of the denominator, write with and . Then , while multiplication of all coefficients by a positive integer givesDividing by proves , as required.
For multiplication, write . The integer-coefficient content identity permitted in the source givesThusWe will also use the normalization , with content one: if , then . It is a primitive polynomial. For a nonzero rational constant , the same definition gives .
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