Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2013 iii Paper 21 2 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-07
Normalize the discrete valuations so a uniformiser has value one, and write for the residue fields. The ramification index is specified by , and the residue degree is . For finite extensions of complete discretely valued fields, . One way to see the degree equality is that is a finite free -module of rank ; reduction modulo a uniformiser of has successive quotients isomorphic to , hence dimension over .
An unramified extension has and separable residue extension, equivalently with separable residue extension. A totally ramified extension has , equivalently . The separability condition in the unramified extension definition matters if the residue field is imperfect; it is automatic for finite residue fields.
Suppose is unramified. Choose a primitive element of a field extension for the finite separable extension and lift it to . Since the residue degree of is at least , necessarily . Its monic minimal polynomial of an algebraic element has coefficients in . Its reduction has degree and annihilates , whose minimal polynomial over has that same degree. The two coincide, so is separable.
Conversely, suppose , , and is separable. It must be irreducible: otherwise its coprime factors lift by the factorization form of Hensel's lemma, contradicting irreducibility of . Hence has degree over . The degree equality forces and , and the residue extension is separable. We have proved the unramified generator criterion with separable reduction:
Now let , . Every element of is a simple root of , whose derivative is a unit at each root. Hensel's lemma lifts each of these elements uniquely to a root in . Thus contains all roots of ; these are the nonzero Teichmuller lifts.
More generally, a root of unity of order prime to reduces injectively into . Indeed, if such a root reduces to , uniqueness in Hensel's lemma for makes it equal to . Consequently every prime-to- order divides .
A root whose order has a nontrivial -part produces a primitive th root of unity . It reduces to in characteristic . Sinceall the factors have the same positive integral valuation. HenceThis is the ramification bound for a primitive pth root of unity. ThereforeFor the hypothesis cannot occur, so that instance is vacuous rather than a claim excluding the ever-present root .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2014 iii Paper 24 1 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
An absolute value on a field is a map satisfyingA Non-Archimedean absolute value satisfies the stronger ultrametric inequality . Two equivalent absolute values induce the same topology, or equivalently differ by a positive real power. The trivial absolute value on a field takes value one on every nonzero element. The rational classification and the compactness criterion below concern nontrivial absolute values on a field; the trivial exceptions are given explicitly.
Here the additive valuation has real values. For any , the mutually inverse constructions areMultiplicativity becomes , and the ultrametric inequality becomes . Equivalent real-valued valuations differ by positive scaling, so these constructions give the required bijection on equivalence classes. Changing merely rescales the valuation.
To justify the topology formulation, is equivalent to . Thus two nontrivial absolute values on a field with the same topology give the same strict positivity relation on their additive valuations. Fix with . Comparing the signs of , for integers and positive integers , shows that and have identical rational cuts. They are equal, proving for . If one allows valuations in arbitrary ordered groups, the nontrivial classes arising this way are precisely rank-one valuations: higher-rank ordered value groups do not embed order-preservingly in .
For a nontrivial Non-Archimedean absolute value on , for every integer , by repeatedly applying the ultrametric inequality to sums of ones. Some prime must have , otherwise prime factorization and multiplicativity would make every nonzero rational have value one. There is at most one such prime: if both , a Bezout identity contradicts the ultrametric inequality. If , another Bezout identity gives . HenceThis proves the non-Archimedean part of the Ostrowski theorem. If the trivial absolute value on a field is admitted, it supplies one additional class and is not equivalent to any p-adic absolute value.
The valuation ring, its maximal ideal, and its residue field areSuppose the absolute value on a field is nontrivial and is compact. The ideal is an open additive subgroup of , so is discrete; as a continuous image of a compact space it is finite. The subgroup is also closed, since all its cosets are open, and is therefore compact. The continuous function attains a maximum on , with . Choose with . Then the positive values of have least element . Division with remainder in this additive subgroup of proves . Thus is a discretely valued field and is a uniformizer.
Conversely, normalize the discrete valuation by . If has elements, has elements. Each quotient therefore supplies a finite cover by balls of radius tending to zero. The ring is a closed subset of the complete metric field , hence complete and totally bounded, so it is compact. Equivalently,This is the local compactness criterion for a complete non-Archimedean field, with nontriviality understood. For the trivial absolute value on a field, has the discrete topology and is compact exactly when is a finite field; its value group is zero rather than a nonzero discrete cyclic group.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 iii Paper 26 1 i Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
A strong lifting lemma. Let be a complete discrete valuation ring, with fraction field and normalized discrete valuation . A useful strong form of Hensel lemma says that for and satisfyingthere is a root withIf , take . Otherwise the hypothesis ensures that . The root is unique among satisfying . In particular, a simple root of the reduction of lifts uniquely with its specified residue.
Here is a proof by Newton iteration over a valued field. Put andWrite and . Taylor expansion over shows, inductively, that the increment has valuation , that , and thatIndeed, the constant and linear terms of cancel, leaving terms of valuation at least twice that of the increment. The change in has valuation greater than , so its valuation stays . Thus all iterates lie in and form a Cauchy sequence. Completeness and continuity give a root . The later increments have strictly larger valuations than the first, proving the displayed distance formula. For uniqueness, if are in the stated ball, Taylor expansion factorsThe second factor is nonzero, so two roots must coincide. This proves Hensel's lemma in the form needed here.
Odd residue characteristic. For odd , a p-adic unit is a square exactly when its reduction is a square in . Necessity follows by reduction. For sufficiency, a nonzero residue root of has derivative invertible modulo , so the Hensel lemma lifts it. The multiplicative group of a finite field is cyclic, and its subgroup of squares has index two. ThereforeRepresentatives are and any unit whose reduction is a quadratic nonresidue.
Residue characteristic two. An odd integer has square congruent to one modulo eight, so a square 2-adic unit must lie in . Conversely, if , take and . Then , and the strong form of Hensel lemma produces a square root. HenceThe four unit square classes of the p-adic integers have representatives .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 iii Paper 26 3 i Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
The valuation ring and local compactness. The opening, unlettered requests useThe ultrametric inequality makes a valuation ring; its elements outside are exactly the units, so is its unique maximal ideal, and is the residue field.
Here the customary nontrivial-valuation hypothesis for a local field is necessary. With the trivial absolute value, any infinite field is discrete and locally compact, but its residue field is infinite and there is no nonzero uniformizer. We use the nontrivial valuation in the conclusions below.
Local compactness first gives a compact neighborhood of zero. Choose a sufficiently small nonzero so that the closed set is contained in that compact neighborhood. Then , and hence , is compact. Since is open, its cosets give a discrete compact quotient , which must be finite. Write . The subgroup now has finite index and is closed in , hence compact. The continuous function attains on a maximum with . Choose with . Every has , soSuccessive division by shows that every nonzero element of is a unit times a power of : division must terminate because . Thus the value group is discrete. A Cauchy sequence eventually lies in a translate of the compact ring , has a convergent subsequence, and consequently converges itself. These arguments prove the discrete valuation from nontrivial local compactness and the completeness of locally compact nontrivially valued fields.
The iterated-power limit. Normalize the discrete valuation by , and write , where is the residue characteristic. For with , the binomial theorem givesThe linear term gains a factor (or is zero in positive characteristic), while all terms of degree at least two have valuation at least .
For , reduction gives , because has order . Iterating the inequality yieldsThe sequence is Cauchy and converges to a unit . Since the reduction of is always , its limit has the same residue. Taking limits after shifting the sequence gives , whenceThis is the Teichmuller representative. The Hensel lemma applied to , whose derivative is a unit at every nonzero residue, shows uniqueness for each residue. Consequently the prime-to- roots give a canonical splitting
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2016 iii Paper 123 2 a Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
Normalize the discrete valuation on by , set , and write for its valuation ring. For a finite Galois extension of local fields, define and, for integers ,Equivalently, is the kernel of the action on . These are the lower ramification numbering of the ramification groups. In particular, is the inertia group, the kernel of the action on the residue field, and is the wild inertia group. They form a decreasing sequence of normal subgroups, eventually trivial.
For a real index , extend by . Define the Herbrand function byIt is continuous, strictly increasing and piecewise linear; denote its inverse by . The upper ramification numbering isThe definition includes the placement of the groups at break endpoints: the group at a break is the group before the drop. Lower numbering is compatible with subgroups; upper numbering is the one compatible with quotients. In a totally ramified extension, the uniformizer criterion for lower ramification groups permits testing the defining valuation inequality on one uniformizer instead of on every integral element.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2017 iii Paper 136 3 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-05
Let be a finite Galois extension of non-Archimedean local fields, let , and normalize the discrete valuation by . The lower ramification numbering isHere is the inertia group and is the wild inertia group. For real , put ; thus for . Define the Herbrand function and its inverse byextending on . The upper ramification numbering is for .
Let over , with its uniformizer. The Artin–Schreier polynomial has derivative in characteristic , so all its roots are distinct. If is one root and another, then , so . Conversely every , , is a root. Thus contains all roots and is a splitting field of a separable polynomial; it is Galois. Every automorphism has the form , and its Galois group embeds in the additive group of .
There is no root in . If , then cannot have negative valuation. If , the ultrametric inequality gives , divisible by , whereas is not. The Galois group is consequently nontrivial. Its order divides the prime , so
Let be the ramification index. The equation forces , and henceAs , . Since , we get , residue-field degree one, and . Thus this is a totally ramified extension, andThis is a uniformizer. The uniformizer criterion for lower ramification groups states that for a totally ramified Galois extension, exactly when . Here every nonidentity automorphism satisfiesTherefore the ramification break of an Artin–Schreier pole occurs at , and the lower groups areThis includes , where the break is one. There is no off-by-one shift: the condition is .
For the upper groups, compute the Herbrand function explicitly:Hence the upper break is also and, with the stated real-index convention,As a consistency check, satisfies the Eisenstein polynomial . Its derivative in characteristic is , giving different exponent , equal to from the different exponent from ramification groups.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2018 iii Paper 113 3 a Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-05
First consider the preliminary cohomological facts. The exam's term flabby means flasque sheaf: every restriction map is surjective. For open sets , lift a section of to using the given surjectivity when is flasque. Extend that lift to using the flasque sheaf , then project to . This proves that is a flasque sheaf.
One construction of a flasque resolution starts with the sheaf , with pointwise restriction. It is a sheaf of abelian groups with surjective restrictions, and sending a section to all its germs embeds in it. Repeating on the cokernels constructs an exact sequencewith each flasque. Define sheaf cohomology by the cohomology of the cochain complex of global sections of such a resolution; the groups are independent of the chosen flasque resolution. If is itself flasque, the quotient result just proved makes every successive cokernel flasque. Applying the assumed surjectivity of sections to each successive short exact sequence of sheaves proves exactness of the global-section complex in positive degrees. Thus for .
Now let be the function field of the smooth algebraic curve. Its divisor class group isHere is the discrete valuation of the discrete valuation ring , and consists of the principal divisor elements . These sums have finite support: on a finite affine cover, represent as a fraction of regular functions; each nonzero numerator or denominator has only finitely many zeros on a curve, since a proper closed subset of a Noetherian one-dimensional irreducible space is finite.
For a divisor on an algebraic curve , define the line bundle associated to a divisor byIn this expression the valuation condition applies to nonzero . If is a uniformizer, the stalk is . Shrinking around removes all other zeros and poles of and all other points in the support of , so this also gives an actual local generator. Thus is a locally free sheaf of rank one. Multiplication gives an isomorphismon every stalk. If , then , so the construction factors through a homomorphism .
It is injective: if is trivial, an isomorphism from supplies a nonzero global rational generator . At each closed point, generates , giving , hence .
It is surjective: take a line bundle and a nonzero rational section , obtained by choosing a frame on any nonempty trivializing open set. If is a local frame, write with . Since changes of frame are units, is independent of the frame near . A finite trivializing cover shows that these numbers have finite support. Set . The map gives , because at the condition is exactly regularity of . Replacing by changes by , so this construction is well defined on classes. This proves the divisor class group and Picard group of a smooth curve identification
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2018 iii Paper 113 3 b Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-05
Put , the quotient in sheaves of abelian groups, where is the sheaf of nonzero rational functions on an irreducible variety and is the sheaf of units of the structure sheaf. At a closed point, the discrete valuation induces an isomorphismThe kernel consists precisely of the units of the discrete valuation ring, and surjectivity follows by taking powers of a uniformizer.
A global section of is locally represented by nonzero rational functions. Since has a finite affine cover and is Noetherian, it is quasi-compact, so finitely many such representatives suffice. Each has only finitely many zeros and poles; consequently the valuations of the section define a finite divisor on an algebraic curve. A section with zero valuation at every closed point is zero in every stalk and therefore zero. This gives an injective mapIt is surjective as well. For , take a rational uniformizer at each point of its finite support. On a sufficiently small neighborhood of , the function has the prescribed divisor there: remove the other points in its zero and pole set and the other support points of . On the complement of the support use the rational function . On overlaps these representatives have the same valuations at every point, so their ratios are units everywhere on the overlap, and their classes in agree. The sheaf gluing axiom now supplies a global section. ThusSince is irreducible, . Under this identification the map to is . Its image is exactly the group of principal divisor elements, and hence
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2018 iii Paper 123 1 b Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-05
Write . For every , the polynomial has as a residue root and . By the Hensel lemma there is a unique element such thatThis defines the Teichmuller lift, including . The two displayed properties determine each value uniquely by Hensel's uniqueness statement.
They also imply the standard Teichmuller lift properties. The elements already satisfy their defining equations, so and . The product reduces to and satisfies , so uniqueness gives . Likewise reduces to and is fixed by its th power, givingFor , division of by gives . Thus the nonzero Teichmuller representatives are precisely the prime-to- roots of unity lifting the nonzero residue classes. This is a multiplicative section of reduction; additivity is not asserted in mixed characteristic.
For the convergence, use the normalized discrete valuation with , and put . A useful binomial estimate isIndeed, writing , every intermediate coefficient is divisible by , so all terms of have valuation at least . The ultrametric inequality gives the bound for their sum.
Finite fields are perfect, so the successive th roots exist uniquely and satisfy . Let . Since lies in the maximal ideal, iterating the estimate times givesMultiplicativity, or the Frobenius identity above, gives . ThereforeThis proves the approximation of Teichmuller lifts by iterated pth powers for completely arbitrary choices of the lifts , including . The original PDF confirms , correcting the capital in the TeX transcription.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2018 iii Paper 123 4 a Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-05
Normalize the discrete valuation by , and put . For , define its ramification numberand set . The minimum exists: all finite values are nonnegative integers, and a nonidentity automorphism moves some integral element. The lower ramification numbering isThus , is the inertia group, and is the wild inertia group. This states the convention at integer endpoints as well as between them. Automorphisms preserve , so these are normal subgroups of .
Define the Herbrand function and its inverse byThe integrand is positive and piecewise constant. Since for sufficiently large , the function is continuous, strictly increasing and unbounded, and its inverse is defined on all nonnegative reals. The upper ramification numbering isIn particular, the denominator in the Herbrand integral involves , even when is not totally ramified. These conventions are also given in Milne's Class Field Theory, Chapter I, §4.
Now use the monogenic hypothesis . Since is Galois, its minimal polynomial has the distinct conjugates as roots, soTaking valuations proves the first equality.
For every polynomial , the difference is divisible in by . Every element of is such a polynomial value, and taking the element attains the resulting lower bound. HenceFor an integer , the element lies in exactly the groups ; if , it lies in none. Summing this count over the nonidentity elements and interchanging the two finite sums givesThis proves the ramification-group sum for a monogenic integer ring. Equivalently it is the different exponent from ramification groups, since the different ideal is generated by under the same monogenic hypothesis.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2018 ii Paper 4 20G c Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-03
Now let be prime and put and . The Eisenstein criterion applied at gives , while the discriminant of elements of a number field of its power basis iswhere . By the discriminant-index formula for an integral lattice, every prime dividing must therefore be .
Suppose . The finite abelian group is then a nontrivial finite p-group, so it contains an element of order . Consequently there is an such thatwith some not divisible by .
The polynomial is Eisenstein, so total ramification from an Eisenstein polynomial gives a unique prime ideal above with normalized discrete valuationLet be the least index for which . The term has valuation ; every earlier term has valuation at least , and every later term with coefficient prime to has a distinct, larger valuation. The non-Archimedean valuation therefore givesThis contradicts , since an algebraic integer has nonnegative valuation at every prime ideal. Thus , and
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2019 ib Paper 3 11G c Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-29
Factor the equation in the Eisenstein integers:Let . Its norm is , andso is a unit times . Suppose , say . Since ,The first term is divisible by and the second has discrete valuation exactly one, so . Conjugation gives as well. ConsequentlyBut is divisible by three, a contradiction. Hence
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2019 iii Paper 123 4 i Solution 2026-10-03
The discrete valuation gives a split exact sequencesplit by . Reduction gives a second exact sequenceThe Teichmuller lift identifies the cyclic group with the group of prime-to- roots of unity in , where is the residue characteristic. Consequently the multiplicative group of a non-Archimedean local field decomposes as
If , the p-adic logarithm identifies a sufficiently deep higher principal-unit group with the additive group of a rank- -lattice. The remaining kernel is precisely the finite group of -power roots of unity in . Thus the principal-unit group of a mixed-characteristic local field has the topological group structure
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 iii Paper 136 2 a Solution 2026-09-28
One strong form of Hensel lemma is this: if is complete for a discrete valuation , , and satisfiesthen there is a unique root satisfying
Define the Newton iteration over a valued fieldTaylor expansion and the ultrametric inequality show inductively that andThus the valuations of the corrections tend to infinity, so is a Cauchy sequence. Completeness gives a limit , and continuity gives . If is another root in the stated ball, Taylor expansion of shows that the linear term has strictly smaller valuation than all higher terms unless , proving uniqueness.
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 2024 iii Paper 136 1 a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-03
The strong form of Hensel lemma says the following. Let be a discrete valuation on a complete field . If andthen has a root satisfying .
To prove it, apply Newton iteration over a valued field:The initial inequality says that the first correction has valuation greater than . Taylor expansion then shows inductively that , while the valuations of the corrections tend to infinity. Hence is a Cauchy sequence. Completeness gives a limit , and continuity gives .
Now decompose the multiplicative group asThe P-adic valuation givesand cubing is the identity on . Put . Expansion gives . Conversely, for , choose and put . For ,so the strong form of Hensel lemma produces a cube root in . Thus . Finally,is an isomorphism. Combining the valuation and principal-unit factors proves the cube-class group of the 3-adic numbers identity
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 2 b i Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Suppose , so . The ultrametric inequality gives . If , thenFor a discrete valuation, only finitely many positive integers divide the fixed nonzero integer . Therefore cannot belong to , proving .
Sheaf of units of the structure sheaf Created 2026-10-05 Updated 2026-10-14
The units in the structure sheaf of a scheme form a multiplicative sheaf of abelian groups. On a smooth algebraic curve, a nonzero rational function is a unit at a point precisely when its discrete valuation there is zero. Its inclusion in the sheaf of nonzero rational functions on an irreducible variety relates divisor on an algebraic curve to the Picard group through the long exact sequence in sheaf cohomology.