Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ii Paper 1 18H a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Let be the common minimal polynomial. Evaluation givesso 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 . ThusBy the automorphism-count divisibility theorem, this order divides . Therefore always divides the degree.