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Algebraic number theory studies integer factorization, divisibility, prime ideals, and units after extending the rational numbers to a number field. Its basic objects are a number field $K$ and its ring of integers ${\mathcal{O}}_K$: the counterparts of $\mathbb{Q}$ and $\mathbb{Z}$. The field norm turns multiplication in $K$ into multiplication of rational numbers, and takes algebraic integers to integers. These connections let linear algebra and Euclidean geometry answer arithmetic questions.^[ref]

A first example is $K=\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{2})$ with ring of integers $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{2}]$. The integer $7$ acquires the factorizationEach factor has field norm $7$. Neither is a unit, and each is an irreducible element: any factorization into two nonunits would factor the prime number $7$ into two integers of absolute value greater than one. Arithmetic in a larger ring thus reveals structure invisible in ordinary integer factorization.

There is also a complication: unique factorization of elements can fail, as in the failure of unique factorization in the ring of integers generated by square root of minus five. The general replacement is prime ideal factorization. The ideal class group measures the obstruction to making every ideal a principal ideal.

The historical motivation is visible in Richard Dedekind's original 1877 exposition: he begins with ordinary integer factorization, passes to Gaussian integers, and then uses a quadratic example to explain why ideals are needed. His later section establishes unique factorization of ideals in a number field. This is a direct record of the development of the theory, rather than a claim that all its ideas originated in one year.^[ref][ref]

Take the integral domain $R=\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{-5}]$, embedded in $\mathbb{C}$. It exhibits failure of unique factorization in the ring of integers generated by square root of minus five:Here is why these are genuinely distinct factorizations into irreducible elements. The multiplicative algebraic norm $N(a+b\sqrt{-5})=a^2+5b^2$ is a nonnegative integer and equals one only for $\pm 1$, which are therefore the only units. Neither two nor three is a value of $N$: if $b\ne 0$ the value is at least five, and if $b=0$ it is a square. A factorization of $2$ into nonunits would require norms two and two; one of $3$ would require norms three and three; one of $1\pm \sqrt{-5}$ would require norms two and three. All are impossible. Thus all four factors are irreducible. The factors of norms four and nine cannot be associate elements of those of norm six, and $1+\sqrt{-5}$ and $1-\sqrt{-5}$ are not related by a sign. Therefore $R$ is an integral domain which is not a unique factorization domain.