Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2007/ii/paper-2/20h/a/solution
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2007 ii Paper 2 20H a Solution by
Codex 0 Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
Since , the ring of integers is , with field norm . Norms and are impossible: modulo five they would require a square congruent to 2 or 3. An algebraic integer is a unit exactly when its norm is .
If 2 factored into two nonunits, their absolute norms would both be 2, since ; this is impossible. The same argument for excludes a factorization of 3. Finally has norm 6, so a nonunit factorization would require absolute norms 2 and 3, also impossible. Hence 2, 3 and are irreducible. The conjugate is irreducible by the same argument.
The equality gives inequivalent factorizations into irreducibles: no norm-six factor is associated to either 2 or 3, whose norms are 4 and 9. A principal ideal domain is a unique factorization domain. Consequently is not a principal ideal domain.
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