Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2008 ii Paper 1 20G b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2008 ii Paper 4 20G b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2009 ib Paper 1 10F Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2011 ii Paper 3 18H iii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2012 iii Paper 21 1 2 Solution 2026-10-07
For a nonnegative integer , a Cr field is a field over which every homogeneous polynomial of positive degree in variables has a nontrivial zero. Thus a C1 field uses the bound , and a C2 field uses .
The required field theorems are as follows. The Chevalley-Warning theorem implies that every finite field is : the number of zeros of a polynomial with degree smaller than its number of variables is divisible by the characteristic, and for a homogeneous polynomial the origin is already a zero. The Lang-Nagata theorem for Ci fields states that a finitely generated extension of transcendence degree of a field is . The Tsen theorem states that the function field of a curve over an algebraically closed field is . In particular, finite fields, algebraically closed fields and fields such as are examples of fields. A function field of one variable over a finite field is by the Lang theorem. These are statements of the theorems; no theorem proof is needed here.
For the requested finite extension stability of C1 fields, let and choose a -basis of . Given a homogeneous of degree with , substitute and take the field norm:The field norm is the determinant of multiplication on the -dimensional -space , hence a homogeneous polynomial of degree in its coordinates. Consequently is homogeneous of degree in variables over . The property gives a nonzero coordinate vector with . Its corresponding vector is nonzero, since the are a basis. The norm of a field element vanishes only for the zero element, so . Every finite extension of a field is . This proof includes inseparable finite extensions, because the determinant definition of the field norm requires no separability.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2012 iii Paper 21 2 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-07
For a complete discretely valued field with perfect residue field , the Witt residue sequence is the split exact sequenceThe first map identifies the unramified Brauer classes. The residue map is canonical; a splitting is chosen by a uniformizer and sends an unramified character to the cyclic Brauer class . Changing may change this splitting by an unramified class. This is the version of Witt's theorem used here.
Now suppose . Fix arithmetic Frobenius . Define the local Brauer invariant byHere is an explicit cohomological construction. Set and . The permitted vanishing , together with Hilbert 90 and inflation, identifies with . Normalize the valuation . Its induced map sends a multiplicative two-cocycle to the integer-valued two-cocycle , givingThe middle isomorphism is the connecting map for , since positive-degree continuous cohomology of the trivial module vanishes.
To see that the valuation map is an isomorphism, its module sequence splits using , and the unit part has zero second cohomology. For each finite unramified cyclic extension , cyclic cohomology identifies that unit contribution with . The norm on residue-field units is surjective. On the principal-unit quotient of level , the norm is the residue trace, through . The trace of a finite separable field extension is surjective; successive corrections and completeness therefore make the norm surjective on all units. Passing to the direct limit gives the asserted vanishing. Finally, a continuous character of is uniquely specified by its value on arithmetic Frobenius, and that value can be any element of . The invariant map is an isomorphism.
In concrete terms, if is the unramified extension of degree and lifts arithmetic Frobenius, the cyclic algebra with and hasIndeed its standard two-cocycle has value when the powers of wrap past and value one otherwise. Valuation turns this into the connecting cocycle for the character with Frobenius value . This also fixes the sign of the normalization.
For restriction and corestriction of local Brauer invariants, let be the residue field of , the ramification index and . A finite extension of local fields has , and . Every class of is , with unramified. After restriction to , its character has Frobenius value and its parameter has valuation . ThusFor corestriction, write a class of as . Choose a character of the finite-field absolute group such that . This is possible because restriction is multiplication by on , which is divisible. Inflate both characters to the local fields. The norm projection formula for cyclic Brauer pairings givesThis projection identity follows from the cohomological transfer and cup-product identity; on multiplicative degree-zero coefficients transfer is the field norm, and the identity in higher degree follows by the cochain definition or dimension shifting. The norm parameter has -valuation , so its invariant is . ThereforeThis argument uses the character-and-norm description directly and does not cancel multiplication by in , where such cancellation would be invalid. For purely inseparable steps in equal characteristic, absolute Galois groups identify, restriction uses inclusion of multiplicative coefficient modules, and Brauer corestriction uses the field norm on them. The same projection calculation applies. Factoring a general finite extension into separable and purely inseparable steps covers all finite extensions in the question.
Lastly, a class with invariant in lowest terms has Brauer period . The unramified extension of degree splits it, so its division-algebra degree divides . Conversely a maximal subfield of the division algebra splits it and has degree equal to that division-algebra degree; the restriction formula forces to divide that degree. These standard splitting-field properties are among the permitted inputs. Thus the index of a central simple algebra equals its period over a local field. The central division algebras of degree are exactly those with invariants and . The Brauer class determines its division representative uniquely, so there areisomorphism classes, where is the Euler totient function. This includes the single degree-one algebra .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2013 iii Paper 21 4 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-07
A place of a number field is an equivalence class of nontrivial absolute values on a field. Its finite places correspond to nonzero prime ideals of the ring of integers of a number field; its infinite places come from real embeddings and conjugate pairs of complex embeddings.
For a embedding of a number field into a p-adic algebraic closure , pull back the p-adic absolute value. This gives a place above . Every element of preserves that absolute value, by uniqueness of its extension to each finite local extension, so equivalent embeddings give the same place.
Conversely, a place above gives a completion of a number field at a prime ideal , a finite extension of . Embed it into and restrict to . If two embeddings give the same place, they extend to two -embeddings of this same completion. They are conjugate under the absolute Galois group: their finite separable images lie in a finite normal closure, and an isomorphism of such images extends to an automorphism of the algebraic closure. The completion really is the closure of the embedded , since rational coefficients are dense in the -span of a primitive element. Thus we obtain the embedding orbit description of finite places:
For the product formula, use normalized local factorsThe squared modulus at a complex place counts its two embeddings. Equivalently one can use ordinary complex modulus and put exponent two in the product. These normalized local factors for the product formula must be specified; arbitrary representatives of place classes would not satisfy the unweighted printed formula.
The fractional principal ideal has only finitely many nonzero prime exponents. Its ideal norm is : for integral , multiplication by on an integral basis has this determinant in absolute value, equal to the index of in ; a quotient gives the fractional case. Hence the finite-place product is . The infinite-place product is , by the embedding expression for the field norm. Therefore all but finitely many local factors are one, and
Finally, let be the integer field discriminant, defined by the determinant of the trace pairing on an integral basis. If a rational prime ramifies, the algebra has a nonzero nilpotent element: use prime ideal factorization and the Chinese remainder theorem to see a nonzero nilpotent in a factor with . If is nilpotent, multiplication by is nilpotent for every in this commutative algebra, and therefore has trace zero. Thus is in the radical of its trace pairing, making the reduced discriminant zero. We have proved the discriminant obstruction to ramification:Only finitely many rational primes divide this nonzero integer, so only finitely many primes ramify.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2013 iii Paper 21 5 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-07
The idele group is the multiplicative restricted productIts restricted product topology has basic open sets , where is finite and contains every infinite place, and is open in . In particular, the restriction to almost all local unit groups is part of the topology, not merely the unrestricted product topology.
The diagonal map is injective and well-defined by finite support of the principal ideal's valuations; its image consists of principal ideles. To prove discreteness of principal ideles, take the neighbourhood of which requires at every finite place and in the ordinary real or complex modulus at every infinite place. A diagonal element in it is a global unit, so . If , the nonzero integer has absolute value at least one, but the archimedean bounds make its absolute value less than . This contradiction proves is a discrete subgroup of .
For a modulus of a number field, write for its finite ideal part together with any selected real places. Let be the group of fractional ideals coprime to the finite part. Let consist of principal ideals with locally at each finite place in the modulus, and at each selected real place. The ray class group isEquivalently it is the quotient , with the corresponding principal-unit factors at finite places and positive multiplicative factors at selected real places. The question now assumes that no infinite places occur.
Put . Global units map to by reduction. To map to the ray class group, choose, by the Chinese remainder theorem, an integral having the prescribed unit residues at all , and send the tuple to the ray class of . A different choice changes the ratio by an element congruent to one at every such place, so the map is well-defined and multiplicative.
The forgetful map to the ordinary ideal class group is surjective: weak approximation for number fields multiplies an ideal by a principal ideal so that all its valuations in vanish. Its kernel consists exactly of classes represented by principal ideals coprime to , and their generators supply the local unit residues. Finally, a residue tuple maps to the identity ray class precisely when its chosen differs from a congruence-one generator by a global unit. Thus the ray class exact sequence isThe leftmost arrow need not be injective, explaining the absence of an initial zero.
For , the ring of integers of Q of square root two is . Its absolute field norm is a Euclidean function. Indeed, for , choose nearest integers ; writing , , both bounded by , gives . Applying this to a quotient proves Euclidean division, hence the ring is a principal ideal domain and . This is norm-Euclideanity of the integers adjoined square root two.
Write and . Their ideal norms are and , respectively; and the residue field at is , with because . The finite local quotient product for the requested modulus isThe first factor consists of and .
The given fundamental unit and generate the global units. Their images areThe first image has order six; its cube is and its square is , generating the first factor and the order-three subgroup of the second. The second image supplies the missing order-two element of . Thus the global unit map is surjective onto all local unit residues. By the exact sequence, or the unit-surjectivity criterion for a trivial finite ray class group,There is no positivity condition here: the modulus has no infinite part, so using the unit is legitimate and essential in the surjectivity calculation.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2014 iii Paper 24 4 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
The idele group is the multiplicative restricted productwith respect to at the finite places of a number field; is the completion of a valued field at the place . Thus each tuple has nonzero components, and all but finitely many finite components are units. Its restricted product topology on the idele group has basic open sets , where is finite and contains the infinite places, and each is open in . In particular is an open subgroup.
Embed diagonally. Take a neighbourhood of one whose finite components all lie in and whose infinite components satisfy in the usual real or complex modulus. A diagonal element there is an algebraic unit . If , then is a nonzero algebraic integer, so its field norm is a nonzero integer. Buta contradiction. Thus is discrete. It is also closed: in a topological group, a subgroup with an isolated identity cannot have an external accumulation point, since quotients of two nearby subgroup elements would approach the identity.
Send an idele to its associated fractional ideal byOnly finitely many exponents are nonzero. This homomorphism is onto, by choosing powers of local uniformizers, and its kernel is . Diagonal elements map to principal fractional ideals. The resulting quotient givesIt is a topological isomorphism when the ideal class group is given the discrete topology, since is open.
Use normalized local moduli: real modulus, squared complex modulus, and at a finite place. The idelic modulus defines , the norm-one idele group. The product formula puts inside this kernel. Every ideal class has a representative in , because an infinite component can be rescaled to correct the modulus without altering its fractional ideal. The compact space therefore maps continuously onto the discrete ideal class group. Its image must be finite, proving is finite.
For the Dirichlet unit theorem, put and . Let count real embeddings and count conjugate complex pairs. Infinite logarithms define a continuous surjectionusing at real places and at complex places. Its kernel is compact: it consists of real signs, complex unit circles, and the product of compact finite-place unit groups. More generally the inverse image of a bounded closed subset of is compact. Since is closed and discrete, its intersection with each such inverse image is finite. Hence is discrete in , and the kernel is a finite group. It is exactly the roots of unity , since every element of a finite multiplicative group has finite order and every root of unity has all local moduli one.
The image of in is an open subgroup, hence also closed, and is homeomorphic to . The assumed compactness therefore makes compact, and its continuous quotient is compact. A discrete cocompact subgroup of a real vector space is a full Euclidean lattice, of rank . Thus , and lifting a lattice basis splits off the free factor:This derives both finiteness and the unit rank from the stated compactness assumption, rather than assuming either conclusion to prove compactness.