Let
be a primitive polynomial. The Eisenstein criterion states that if a prime number satisfies
then is an irreducible polynomial in , equivalently in by Gauss lemma for polynomials.
To prove it, suppose that with of positive degree. Primitivity and Gauss's lemma let us take such an integral factorisation if a factorisation over exists. Reducing modulo gives
Because does not divide the leading coefficient of , neither factor loses degree on reduction. The polynomial ring is a unique factorization domain, so both reductions are monomials of positive degree. In particular, divides both constant terms and . It follows that divides
a contradiction. This proves the criterion.
For a prime , translate the geometric sum by one:
Its leading coefficient is one, every other coefficient is divisible by , and its constant coefficient is , which is not divisible by . It is therefore Eisenstein at . Translation is an automorphism of , so
This is the geometric-sum irreducibility criterion.
The evaluation homomorphism
has image and contains in its kernel. Since is monic, division by in writes every as with . If , then ; the irreducibility of says that is the minimal polynomial of , so . Thus , and the first isomorphism theorem for rings gives
Now take . Then , and the Eisenstein integers are
Complex conjugation sends to , so the field norm is
Given , choose integers with . For ,
For with , apply this to and put . Then
Hence the norm is a Euclidean function, proving that is a Euclidean domain. This is the Euclidean norm on the Eisenstein integers.
Finally suppose satisfies . Make the free abelian group into a -module by defining
This is well-defined precisely because obeys the same polynomial relation as . The module is finitely generated. It is also torsion-free module: if and , multiplication by the conjugate of gives , and the additive group has no nonzero integer torsion.
A Euclidean domain is a principal ideal domain, and the structure theorem for finitely generated modules over a principal ideal domain says that a finitely generated torsion-free module over one is free. Thus
for some . Since has free module basis over , comparison of abelian ranks gives . There can consequently be no such matrix when is odd.
If , choose a -basis . Then
is a -basis, and . In this basis the matrix of is a direct sum of copies of
Every admissible matrix is therefore conjugate in to . Hence there is exactly one conjugacy class for even , and none for odd . This is the classification of integral matrices satisfying the third cyclotomic polynomial.
Since , products of integer linear combinations of remain of the same form. Thus the Eisenstein integers form a subring of , and hence an integral domain. Their Eisenstein norm is
It is a positive integer on nonzero elements and is multiplicative, because the complex modulus is multiplicative.
For with , write with real . Choose integers with , and let . With and ,
Consequently belongs to and satisfies when . This proves is a Euclidean domain with Euclidean function , the Euclidean norm on the Eisenstein integers.
Figure 1.
Rounding the coordinates in the Eisenstein integer lattice gives a Euclidean remainder
. After subtracting the chosen lattice point, the error lies in the shaded parallelogram. Its squared modulus is at most , strictly smaller than one. The parallelogram is a rounding cell, not the hexagonal nearest-point cell. Details.
For the representation of the prime , first note that . Now suppose and . The factorization
shows that the Eisenstein integer divides a product. It divides neither factor: an element lies in exactly when both integer coefficients are divisible by , and the second coefficients here are and . Hence is not a prime element of .
To justify the necessary factorization step, in any principal ideal domain an irreducible element is prime. If , write . Since , irreducibility makes a unit or an associate of . The latter would give , so is a unit and for some . If , multiplication of this identity by gives . This proves irreducible elements of a principal ideal domain are prime without assuming unique factorization.
By part (a), is a principal ideal domain. The integer has norm , so it is a nonzero nonunit. Since it is not prime, the result just proved implies that it is reducible: with both nonunits. A nonzero element of is a unit exactly when its norm is one, since gives inverse and multiplicativity proves the converse. Thus
The only possible positive integer factors exceeding one are . Writing gives
This is the prime representation by the Eisenstein norm argument.
Let be a prime number dividing , and set . The case is . For , use
The Eisenstein integer divides this product, but divides neither factor: divisibility by the rational integer in the basis requires both integer coefficients to be divisible by , whereas the second coefficients are and . Thus is not a prime element of .
The Euclidean norm on the Eisenstein integers makes this ring a principal ideal domain. Since irreducible elements of a principal ideal domain are prime, admits a factorization into two nonunits. The positive integral Eisenstein norm is multiplicative, and its value is one exactly on units: when , its complex conjugate is an inverse. Thus and , forcing both norms to be . Writing proves the displayed representation.