Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2008 ib Paper 2 2G Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-24
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2018 iii Paper 101 4 c Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-05
Yes. Taking the constant coefficient defines a surjective ring homomorphismIts kernel of a ring homomorphism is , so the first isomorphism theorem for rings gives .
We prove the needed preservation result. If is a Noetherian ring and is an ideal, any ascending chain of ideals in lifts under the quotient ring homomorphism to an ascending chain of ideals in . The lifted chain stabilizes; surjectivity makes the original chain stabilize as well. Hence every quotient ring of a Noetherian ring is Noetherian.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2021 ib Paper 3 10G v Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
By the prime ideal quotient criterion,For a principal ideal, this is precisely the assertion that is a prime element. This closes the cycle and proves that (i)--(v) are equivalent.
Now let be a surjective ring homomorphism, where is a principal ideal domain and is an integral domain. WriteIf , the first isomorphism theorem for rings makes an isomorphism. Otherwiseis an integral domain, so the equivalences just proved show that is maximal and is a field.
Next suppose that the polynomial ring is a principal ideal domain. It follows first that is an integral domain. For nonzero , the idealis principal. Since divides the nonzero constant , it is constant; since it also divides , that constant divides the coefficient , so is a unit. Therefore , and there are polynomials such thatSetting gives , so every nonzero is a unit. Hence
Finally, let be an integral domain in which every two nonzero elements have a greatest common divisor. If an irreducible divides , then is either a unit or an associate of . In the second case . In the first case, the Euclid lemma in a greatest-common-divisor domain gives . Thus every irreducible element of is prime.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2022 ib Paper 3 1E Solution Created 2026-09-23 Updated 2026-09-25
The first isomorphism theorem for rings states that a ring homomorphism induces an isomorphismBecause is an ideal, sums and products of elements of remain in , so it is a subring. The surjective homomorphismhas kernel . The theorem givesEvaluation at givesso this quotient is a field of characteristic zero. The other quotient isIt has characteristic but is not a field, since the nonzero class of is nilpotent.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 ib Paper 4 9E Solution Created 2026-09-23 Updated 2026-10-03
Letbe a primitive polynomial. The Eisenstein criterion states that if a prime number satisfiesthen 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 givesBecause 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 dividesa 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 , soThis is the geometric-sum irreducibility criterion.
The evaluation homomorphismhas 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 areComplex conjugation sends to , so the field norm isGiven , choose integers with . For ,For with , apply this to and put . ThenHence 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 definingThis 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. Thusfor 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 . Thenis a -basis, and . In this basis the matrix of is a direct sum of copies ofEvery 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.