Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2010 iii Paper 24 1 a Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Two absolute values on a field are equivalent absolute values when they induce the same topology. For nontrivial absolute values on a field this is equivalent tofor a fixed real number . The trivial absolute value is equivalent only to itself.
Restriction of a Non-Archimedean absolute value plainly preserves the ultrametric inequality. Conversely, if the restriction is non-Archimedean, every integer, interpreted in either field, has absolute value on a field at most one. In particular every binomial coefficient has absolute value on a field at most one. The triangle inequality applied to the binomial expansion gives, for and every positive integer ,Raise both sides to the power and let . Since , this yieldsThis is the bounded-integer criterion for a non-Archimedean absolute value. The proof works for arbitrary field extensions, not just algebraic ones, and in positive characteristic as well.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2022 iii Paper 136 2 b i Solution 2026-09-28
If is non-Archimedean, then . Conversely suppose for every integer . The binomial theorem and the ordinary triangle inequality giveTaking th roots and letting proves . This is the bounded-integer criterion for a non-Archimedean absolute value.
In characteristic , the image of is the finite prime field , so every absolute value is bounded on it. Thus every absolute value on is non-Archimedean.