Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2008/iii/paper-32/1/i/solution

Let , where is an algebraic integer with monic minimal polynomial , and put . The Kummer-Dedekind theorem applies to a prime number with . Write its reduction as a product of polynomial factors over :
where the are distinct monic irreducible polynomials, choose monic integral lifts . Then the distinct prime ideals above are , and
Thus the multiplicity of a factor is its ramification index of a prime ideal, and its degree is the residue degree. The hypothesis on the order in a number field is essential: one cannot infer prime ideal factorization from an arbitrary defining polynomial at a prime dividing its index. There is also a relative version over a base number field : if and agree after localization at , factor the minimal polynomial over and use with the same conclusions.

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