Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2024/ii/paper-1/18h/a/solution

Let be the common minimal polynomial. Evaluation gives
so composing the two isomorphisms gives and sends to .
Take . The field is real and contains the two roots of , but not . Hence exactly two -automorphisms are possible, while the degree is four.
In general, after choosing one isomorphism , every other one is uniquely for a -automorphism of . Thus
By the automorphism-count divisibility theorem, this order divides . Therefore always divides the degree.

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