Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2008/iii/paper-7/1/b/solution

The forward implication is immediate: the localization of a module that is zero remains zero. Conversely, suppose and choose . Its annihilator
is a proper ideal, since . Choose a maximal ideal containing . Then cannot be zero in : otherwise the vanishing criterion in a module localization would give for some , contradicting . Thus some maximal localization is nonzero, proving
In the suggested cyclic description, and part (a) gives ; the same fraction argument embeds it in . This is localization detects zero elements, applied to an arbitrary module; finite generation is unnecessary.

New to topics? Read the docs here!