Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2021 iii Paper 136 2 a Solution 2026-09-28
The non-Archimedean part of the Ostrowski theorem says that every nontrivial Non-Archimedean absolute value on is equivalent to the p-adic absolute value for a unique prime .
Indeed, for every integer . Nontriviality gives a prime with , and there cannot be two such primes because the Bezout identity would make a sum of two terms of absolute value below one. If is coprime to , another Bezout identity shows . Consequentlyfor every , which is a positive real power of .
More generally, the Non-Archimedean absolute values on a number field are indexed, up to equivalence, by the nonzero prime ideals . The value attached to isTo prove completeness of the list, restrict an absolute value to and obtain a rational prime . Its valuation ring contains away from a unique prime above ; equivalently, its centeris a nonzero prime ideal. Since is a discrete valuation ring, every is a unit times a power of a uniformizer, so the given value is equivalent to the displayed -adic value. An absolute value trivial on is trivial on the algebraic extension , so no further cases occur.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2022 iii Paper 113 1 a Solution 2026-09-28
A morphism of schemes is proper when it is a finite type morphism, a separated morphism, and a universally closed morphism. The valuative criterion for properness says, under the usual finite-type and Noetherian hypotheses, that is proper exactly when every commutative squarewith a discrete valuation ring and has a unique diagonal lift .
For , a -point is with not all zero. If is a uniformizer, multiply all coordinates by one power of so that . The resulting coordinates lie in and at least one is a unit, so they define an -point extending the given -point. If two extensions exist, on a chart where one coordinate is a unit their affine coordinate ratios agree in and therefore in the integral domain ; hence the extensions agree. This verifies existence and uniqueness directly.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2022 iii Paper 113 2 a Solution Created 2026-09-28 Updated 2026-10-03
A Weil divisor on is a finite formal sumover integral codimension-one closed subschemes . Since is regular in codimension one, the local ring at the generic point of each is a discrete valuation ring. A nonzero rational function therefore defines the principal divisor . The divisor class group is
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 iii Paper 113 2 b Solution 2026-09-28
Write for . For any closed point , the fiber is the zero-dimensional closed subscheme of cut out by . It is finite over , and every finite morphism is proper. This includes , whose fiber in consists only of .
The morphism itself fails the valuative criterion for properness. Take the discrete valuation ring with fraction field . The -point lies in and lies over the -point of the target defined byAny extension of that -point must still be given by , whose closed point maps to the deleted point . It therefore cannot factor through . The required lift does not exist, so is not proper. This is an instance of the fact that proper closed-point fibers do not imply properness.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 iii Paper 136 5 a Solution 2026-09-28
For the discrete valuation corresponding to , the valuation ring and its maximal ideal areThe first is a subring of the field , hence an integral domain. An element of is a unit exactly when its valuation is zero, so every nonunit lies in and is the unique maximal ideal.
Choose a uniformizer with . If is an ideal, the set of valuations of its nonzero elements has a least member . Choose with . Then for a unit , so . Every has , hence , and therefore . Thus is a discrete valuation ring, in particular a principal ideal domain.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 ii Paper 3 24G Solution Created 2026-09-23 Updated 2026-09-25
For an algebraically closed field , the strong Hilbert Nullstellensatz says that every ideal satisfiesIts weak form says that exactly when . Now let and let be a homogeneous ideal. The affine zero set of is the affine cone over together with the origin. Hence, when the projective zero set is empty, eitheror the affine zero set is exactly the origin. In the latter case the Hilbert Nullstellensatz givesthe irrelevant ideal of projective space. Equivalently, some power is contained in . These are precisely the alternatives in the Projective Nullstellensatz.
Let be a smooth quadric surface. After a projective linear transformation, the Segre embedding identifiesChoose distinct points . The two fibresare the promised disjoint curves on a smooth quadric surface: each is a smooth projective line, and . By the Bézout theorem, any two nonempty curves in the projective plane intersect. An isomorphism of algebraic varieties preserves intersections and takes projective curves to projective curves, so these disjoint curves prove
Next let be a smooth projective curve and let be a rational map to a projective variety. At a point outside its initial domain, writeusing elements of the function field . The local ring of a smooth algebraic curve at is a discrete valuation ring. If , multiplying every coordinate by a function of valuation makes all coordinates regular at and at least one a unit there. They therefore define a morphism near . Repeating this at the finitely many missing points proves the extension of a rational map from a smooth projective curve.
Smoothness is essential. Let be the normalization of a nodal curve for a rational nodal cubic . The inverse is a rational map on the smooth locus. If it extended to a morphism , then would agree with the identity on a dense Zariski-open subset of and hence everywhere. But the two distinct points above the node would satisfya contradiction. This is the failure of rational-map extension on a singular curve.
Finally take the Fermat cubic curveand define the projective hypersurfaceBecause and have no common irreducible factor, the bihomogeneous polynomial is irreducible, so is an algebraic variety. Letbe the second coordinate projection. Every homogeneous cubic in three variables has a projective zero over , so every fibre is nonempty and is a surjective morphism. Over the fibre is the Fermat cubic curve, which is smooth and has genusOver the fibre isthe union of exactly three distinct projective lines, hence exactly three irreducible components. This is the cubic pencil with a triangular member required by the question.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2025 iii Paper 101 5 i Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
A discrete valuation on a field is a surjective group homomorphismsatisfyingwhenever . Its discrete valuation ring is
One standard characterization defines a Dedekind domain as a Noetherian integrally closed domain of Krull dimension one. Equivalently, all its localizations at nonzero prime ideals are discrete valuation rings.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2025 iii Paper 113 3 a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
A prime Weil divisor is an integral closed subscheme of codimension one. If has generic point , regularity in codimension one makes the local ring a discrete valuation ring with fraction field . Its normalized discrete valuationis the order of vanishing along : writing for a unit and uniformizer gives . Additivity of exponents makes this a group homomorphism.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2025 iii Paper 136 3 a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
One useful form of Hensel lemma is this: if is a complete discrete valuation ring, , andthen there is a unique such that and . Indeed, after constructing with , choose the unique modulo for whichand put . The resulting Cauchy sequence converges by completeness, and the same first-order congruence proves uniqueness.
Apply this to . Every nonzero class in is a simple root, so it has a unique Teichmuller representative in . These give all roots of unity of order prime to . For odd , the group has no nontrivial torsion: if , then the binomial theorem gives , which is incompatible with finite -power order. HenceFor , the subgroup is torsion-free by the same argument, while supplies the extra torsion element. Thus . This describes the roots of unity in a p-adic field for .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2026 iii Paper 113 1 c Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Let be a discrete valuation ring with uniformizer , fraction field , and normalized discrete valuation . A map is a projective pointwith at least one nonzero coordinate. Put and set . Then every lies in , and at least one is a unit.
On the standard affine chart of projective space, the ratios all lie in . They therefore define a map whose generic restriction is the original point. This proves existence in the DVR case. The assumed separatedness of , through the valuative criterion for separatedness, gives uniqueness. Thus the morphism satisfies the requested DVR form of the valuative criterion for properness.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2026 iii Paper 136 2 a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
One form of Hensel lemma is: if is a complete discrete valuation ring, , and while , then there is a unique with and .
Inductively, if , choose modulo so thatand put . The unit makes unique. The resulting sequence is Cauchy, so completeness gives a root . Applying the same first-order congruence to two roots proves uniqueness.
p-modular system 2026-10-03
A p-modular system consists of a characteristic-zero field , a discrete valuation ring , and its residue field of characteristic . It is a splitting system for a finite group when both and split the relevant group representations.
Let be a complete discrete valuation ring of residue characteristic of a field , with maximal ideal , and let be a one-dimensional formal group law over . Its multiplication series is . If , the invertible morphism criterion for formal group laws constructs its inverse with coefficients in . Both formal power series converge on , since their coefficients are integral and the powers of an element of tend to zero. Their compositions are the identity there. Thus multiplication by is bijective, including when and is odd. Every finite-order element of consequently has order of a group element equal to a prime power with prime .
In a complete discrete valuation ring of residue characteristic , the power map is a bijection on when . For a principal unit , the Hensel lemma lifts the simple residue root one of uniquely. This can absorb principal-unit factors in tame radical descriptions of local fields.
Principal maximal ideal in a one-dimensional normal local domain Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-05
The maximal ideal of an integrally closed Noetherian local domain of Krull dimension one is principal. Hence every such local ring is a discrete valuation ring.
Principal Weil divisor Created 2026-10-06 Updated 2026-10-07
On a normal integral Noetherian scheme, a nonzero rational function defines the displayed Weil divisor, with the sum over codimension-one prime divisors. The local ring at each such divisor is a discrete valuation ring, so the order is well defined. The divisor class group is the group of Weil divisors modulo principal Weil divisors. On a smooth curve this agrees with a principal divisor on an algebraic curve.
Uniformizer Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-07
A uniformizer of a discrete valuation ring is a generator of its unique nonzero maximal ideal. Every nonzero in the fraction field has a unique expression with a unit and .