Effective norm-form height estimate Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Let be a fixed number field and let be a fixed rational linear subspace for which the associated norm form has no unit-family degeneracy. There are effective constants such that every with nonzero field norm satisfiesTo prove this, factor the principal ideal , write its generators as a bounded factor times powers of fundamental units, use the linear relations defining , and apply the Baker lower bound for a homogeneous linear form in logarithms to bound the unit exponents by . For with , , and for a basis of , the coprime degrees rule out the degeneracy.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2025 iii Paper 166 1 a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
For the general result, choose logarithms of nonzero algebraic numbers and algebraic coefficients , and putLetwhere is the minimal polynomial and its is the naive polynomial height, and letThe general lower bound for a linear form in logarithms states that, if , thenwhere the effective constant depends only on and the degree of the number field generated by all the data.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2025 iii Paper 166 1 b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Put . It is nonzero by unique prime factorization. If or , the claimed inequality follows immediately after increasing the effective constant. We may therefore assumewhich implies .
The Baker lower bound for a homogeneous linear form in logarithms, with the fixed algebraic numbers and , givesfor an effective absolute constant . If , the desired conclusion is again immediate. Otherwise, the mean value theorem applied to the exponential function on gives . HenceAbsorbing the fixed factor into a larger exponent proves .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2025 iii Paper 166 1 c Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
LetSuppose is a perfect power with . The finitely many small can be absorbed into the final effective constant. The Binet formula gives andThus, forthe local Lipschitz equivalence of and at zero yieldsThe form cannot vanish: applying the nontrivial field automorphism of to would give , whose absolute values are incompatible.
Apply the Baker lower bound for a homogeneous linear form in logarithms with the variable-height number placed last. The parameters belonging to and are absolute constants, while . Moreover,so and therefore . The refined lower bound becomesComparison with the exponential upper bound gives . Since tends to infinity, this bounds by an effective absolute constant. Enlarging it to cover the discarded small indices proves the claim.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2026 iii Paper 166 3 b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
A suitable theorem is the Baker lower bound for a homogeneous linear form in logarithms. Let be nonzero algebraic numbers with chosen logarithms and letChoose to bound the degree-normalized Absolute logarithmic Weil height of and , and put . If , thenwhere is an effectively computable constant depending only on and the degree of the number field generated by the .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2026 iii Paper 166 3 c Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Let be the monic cubic minimal polynomial of the algebraic integer , let be its conjugates, and let be the two conjugates of a nonrational . Because the degrees three and two are coprime, the fields are linearly disjoint, andis a nonzero integer.
AssumeFor large this makes bounded. Since is a quadratic algebraic integer, the height-Mahler measure formula givesand therefore . The two remaining factors with are bounded, while the three factors with are . Consequently
We now use the standard effective norm form consequence of Part (b). Forwhere is an integral basis of , the effective norm-form height estimate supplies effective constants , depending only on and , such thatfor every nonzero . Its proof factors , balances a generator using the Dirichlet unit theorem, and applies the Baker lower bound for a homogeneous linear form in logarithms to the linear relations defining ; the coprime degrees and exclude a unit-family degeneracy.
Apply this estimate to . Since , the height inequalities imply . HenceChoose the effective value . The last inequality bounds effectively. The rational integers are already covered by the stronger degree-three Liouville approximation theorem, and the Northcott theorem leaves only finitely many remaining quadratic integers of bounded height. Taking the minimum ofover this effective finite set gives an effective and provesfor every .