Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-algebraic-number-theory-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2023/3/d/solution

For , put . Since , the ring of integers of a quadratic field formula gives . Modulo five,
The two roots are distinct, so the Dedekind factorization theorem gives
In particular .
We prove that has order of a group element greater than . Suppose instead that is a principal ideal for some . Since , its generator is in : write with . Taking ideal norms gives the positive field norm
But , so . Thus , forcing to be even and . This would give
contrary to unique factorization of ideals in a number field and . Consequently no such exists. The finiteness of the ideal class group ensures that has finite order of a group element, so
For every positive integer , the allowed infinitude of prime numbers in the progression supplies one larger than . Applying the construction proves unbounded element orders in imaginary quadratic ideal class groups. In particular, this establishes elements of arbitrarily large order of a group element, rather than merely unbounded class numbers.

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