Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2004/ib/paper-4/12f/ii/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2004 ib Paper 4 12F ii Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
Consider the ideal in . It is proper: evaluation at zero followed by reduction modulo maps the ring onto and has kernel . Suppose . Then divides the constant polynomial , so is a constant integer dividing . Up to sign, the only possibilities are and . The first would make the ideal the whole ring; the second cannot divide in . Both are impossible. This proves the integer polynomial ring is not a principal ideal domain result: is not a principal ideal domain.
New to topics? Read the docs here!