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For a primitive polynomialif a prime $p$ does not divide $a_n$, divides every $a_j$ for $j<n$, and has $p^2\nmid a_0$, then $F$ is irreducible. If $F=GH$, reduction modulo $p$ forces both $\overline{G}$ and $\overline{H}$ to be positive-degree monomials. Their constant terms are consequently divisible by $p$, making $p^2\mid F(0)$, a contradiction. Gauss lemma for polynomials transfers the result between $\mathbb{Z}[X]$ and $\mathbb{Q}[X]$.

The polynomial ring $\mathbb{Z}[X]$ is a unique factorization domain by Gauss lemma for polynomials, but its ideal $(2,X)$ is not principal. Any generator would divide both 2 and $X$, hence be a unit: a divisor of 2 has degree zero, and a constant dividing $X$ is $\pm 1$. Yet evaluation at zero followed by reduction modulo 2 annihilates the ideal and not 1. It embeds in the principal ideal domain $\mathbb{Q}[X]$, illustrating that the property need not pass to a subring.

Take the three-dimensional affine quadric coneThe polynomial $xy-zw$ is an irreducible polynomial: as a polynomial in $x$ over $k[y,z,w]$, it is primitive because $y$ and $zw$ are coprime elements of a unique factorization domain, and it is a linear irreducible polynomial over $k(y,z,w)$. Gauss lemma for polynomials then applies. Thus $X$ is an irreducible variety that is an affine variety, of algebraic dimension $3$ by the principal hypersurface dimension lemma in affine space ${\mathbb{A}}^4$.

The coordinate rings of $Y$ and $Z$ are respectively $k[y,w]$ and $k[x,z]$. Both are affine planes, hence irreducible closed subsets of algebraic dimension $2$. Their intersection is precisely the origin. ThereforeThe origin is the singular point of an algebraic variety of this three-dimensional affine quadric cone. The example shows why a smoothness of an algebraic variety hypothesis matters in intersection dimension estimates.

An algebraic integer is a complex number satisfying a monic polynomial with integer coefficients. Let $f\in \mathbb{Q}[x]$ be the monic minimal polynomial of $\alpha$. It is irreducible over $\mathbb{Q}$. If $H\in \mathbb{Z}[x]$ is a monic polynomial vanishing at $\alpha$, then $f$ divides $H$ over $\mathbb{Q}$. Gauss lemma for polynomials implies that monic rational factors of a monic integer polynomial have integer coefficients. Thus $f\in \mathbb{Z}[x]$, and its irreducibility over $\mathbb{Q}$ implies irreducibility in $\mathbb{Z}[x]$.

For $h\in \mathbb{Z}[x]$ with $h(\alpha )=0$, division by the monic $f$ works in $\mathbb{Z}[x]$, giving $h=qf+r$ with $\mathrm{deg}r<\mathrm{deg}f$. Since $r(\alpha )=0$, minimality forces $r=0$. Conversely each multiple of $f$ vanishes at $\alpha$. ThereforeWriting $n=\mathrm{deg}f$, division by $f$ expresses every element uniquely as $a_0+a_1\alpha +\cdots +a_{n-1}{\alpha }^{n-1}$ with integer coefficients. A relation among these powers would be a nonzero vanishing polynomial of degree less than $n$. Hence $1,\alpha ,\dots ,{\alpha }^{n-1}$ form a basis of the free module over $\mathbb{Z}$ $\mathbb{Z}[\alpha ]$.

Eisenstein's criterion. Let $f(X)=a_n{X}^n+\cdots +a_0\in \mathbb{Z}[X]$ be a nonconstant primitive polynomial. If a prime number $p$ satisfies $p\nmid a_n$, $p\mid a_j$ for $0\le j<n$, and $p^2\nmid a_0$, then $f$ is an irreducible polynomial over $\mathbb{Q}$.

To prove the Eisenstein criterion, suppose a nontrivial factorization exists over $\mathbb{Q}$. Gauss lemma for polynomials gives $f=gh$ with $g,h\in \mathbb{Z}[X]$ of positive degree. Their leading coefficients are not divisible by $p$, because their product is $a_n$. Reduction modulo $p$ therefore preserves both degrees, andSince the only irreducible factor of the right side is $X$, both reduced factors are nonzero monomials of positive degree. Their constant coefficients are consequently divisible by $p$. This would make $p^2\mid g(0)h(0)=a_0$, a contradiction.

For the requested polynomial, shift the variable by one. The binomial theorem givesIt is monic, all coefficients below the leading one are divisible by $p$, and the constant coefficient is $p$, not divisible by $p^2$. The Eisenstein criterion proves irreducibility of this shifted polynomial. The substitution $X\mapsto X+1$ is an automorphism of $\mathbb{Q}[X]$, with inverse $X\mapsto X-1$, so it preserves nontrivial factorizations. HenceThis is the cyclotomic polynomial for a prime index.

A unique factorization domain is an integral domain in which every nonzero nonunit is a finite product of irreducible elements, uniquely up to reordering and multiplication of factors by a unit in a ring. A principal ideal domain is an integral domain in which every ideal is generated by one element.

Gauss lemma for polynomials says that over a unique factorization domain $D$, the product of two primitive polynomials is primitive, and the polynomial content satisfies $c(fg)=c(f)c(g)$ up to a unit. In particular a primitive polynomial of positive degree is irreducible over $D$ exactly when it is irreducible over the fraction field of $D$. Consequently a polynomial ring over a unique factorization domain is itself a unique factorization domain.

The Eisenstein criterion says that if $f(X)=a_n{X}^n+\cdots +a_0\in D[X]$ has $n\ge 1$ and there is a prime element $p$ with $p\nmid a_n$, $p\mid a_j$ for every $j<n$, and $p^2\nmid a_0$, then $f$ is irreducible over the fraction field. If $f$ is primitive, it is also irreducible in $D[X]$. Over $\mathbb{Z}$ one may take $p$ to be an ordinary prime number. The primitivity qualification prevents a nonunit constant content from being overlooked.

For the same pair, $\boxed{S=\mathbb{Z}[X]\subset \mathbb{Q}[X]}$. Since $\mathbb{Z}$ is a unique factorization domain, Gauss lemma for polynomials proves that $S$ is a unique factorization domain.

To prove that $S$ is not a principal ideal domain, consider the ideal $I=(2,X)$. A generator $g$ would divide 2 and $X$. Divisibility of 2 forces $g$ to be a nonzero constant integer; divisibility of $X$ then forces that integer to divide its coefficient 1, so $g=\pm 1$. This would make $I=S$. But evaluation at $X=0$ followed by reduction modulo 2 maps every element of $I$ to zero and maps 1 to one. Hence $1\notin I$, a contradiction. This is the integer polynomial ring is not a principal ideal domain example, with both clauses satisfied by a single inclusion.

Gauss lemma for polynomials says that the product of two primitive polynomials in $\mathbb{Z}[X]$ is primitive. Equivalently, a primitive polynomial in $\mathbb{Z}[X]$ is reducible over $\mathbb{Q}$ exactly when it is reducible over $\mathbb{Z}$.

Eisenstein criterion states that ifhas a prime number $p$ such that $p\nmid a_n$, $p\mid a_i$ for every $i<n$, and $p^2\nmid a_0$, then $f$ is irreducible over $\mathbb{Q}$.

After dividing out the polynomial content, suppose for contradiction that the resulting primitive polynomial factors as $f=gh$ with positive-degree $g,h\in \mathbb{Z}[X]$, using Gauss lemma for polynomials. Reduction modulo $p$ gives $\bar{f}=a_n{X}^n$, so in the polynomial ring ${\mathbb{F}}_p[X]$ both $\bar{g}$ and $\bar{h}$ are monomials. Because both factors have positive degree, their constant coefficients are divisible by $p$. Their product $a_0$ is then divisible by $p^2$, a contradiction.

Let $L$ be a splitting field of $f(X)=X^m-1$ over $k$. Its formal derivative isThe assumption on the characteristic of $k$ says that $m\ne 0$ in $k$. Any root $\alpha$ of $f$ is nonzero, and hence $f^{\prime }(\alpha )=m{\alpha }^{m-1}\ne 0$. Thus $f$ and $f^{\prime }$ have no common root, so $f$ is a separable polynomial. Since it has degree $m$ and splits over $L$, it has exactly $m$ distinct roots. This is the separability of roots of unity.

Fix a primitive root of unity ${\zeta }_m=e^{2\pi i/m}$. Define the $m$th cyclotomic polynomial byIt is monic and has degree given by the Euler totient function $\phi (m)$. Partitioning all $m$th roots of unity according to their exact multiplicative order gives the cyclotomic factorizationWe now prove by mathematical induction that ${\Phi }_m\in \mathbb{Z}[X]$. The base case is ${\Phi }_1=X-1$. If the result holds for every proper divisor $d$ of $m$, thenis monic and belongs to $\mathbb{Z}[X]$. Polynomial division of $X^m-1$ by the monic integer polynomial $G$ produces a quotient and remainder in $\mathbb{Z}[X]$. The factorization over $\mathbb{C}$ says that the remainder is zero and the quotient is ${\Phi }_m$, proving the claim.

It remains to prove irreducibility of cyclotomic polynomials. Let $f\in \mathbb{Z}[X]$ be a monic irreducible polynomial dividing ${\Phi }_m$, let $\epsilon$ be a root of $f$, and write ${\Phi }_m=fg$. We claim that ${\epsilon }^p$ is a root of $f$ for every prime number $p\nmid m$. Otherwise ${\epsilon }^p$ is a root of $g$, so $\epsilon$ is a root of $g(X^p)$. Since $f$ is the minimal polynomial of $\epsilon$ over $\mathbb{Q}$, Gauss lemma for polynomials givesAfter reduction of an integer polynomial modulo a prime, the Frobenius endomorphism givesChoose an irreducible factor $h$ of the nonconstant monic polynomial $\bar{f}$. Then $h\mid \bar{g}$, so $h^2\mid \bar{f}\bar{g}={\bar{\Phi }}_m$. The cyclotomic factorization would then make $h^2$ divide $X^m-1$ over ${\mathbb{F}}_p$. This is impossible because its derivative $m{X}^{m-1}$ is coprime to it when $p\nmid m$.

Thus $f({\epsilon }^p)=0$ for every prime $p\nmid m$. Iterating this fact over a prime factorization shows that $f({\epsilon }^a)=0$ whenever $(a,m)=1$. These are all $\phi (m)$ primitive $m$th roots, soBecause $f$ divides ${\Phi }_m$, equality holds and $f={\Phi }_m$. Hence every cyclotomic polynomial is irreducible over $\mathbb{Q}$.

Finally, direct multiplication givesAlsoApplying the cyclotomic factorization to the two factors on the right givesand thereforeSince $X^2-X+1={\Phi }_6(X)$, cancellation yieldsThe thirtieth cyclotomic polynomial is irreducible over $\mathbb{Q}$ by the theorem just proved, so $F$ is irreducible.

Gauss lemma for polynomials states that the product of two primitive polynomials over a unique factorization domain is primitive. In particular, a primitive polynomial in $\mathbb{Z}[X]$ is reducible over $\mathbb{Q}$ exactly when it is reducible over $\mathbb{Z}$.

Eisenstein criterion says that a primitive polynomialis irreducible over $\mathbb{Q}$ if there is a prime $p$ such that $p\nmid a_n$, $p\mid a_j$ for every $j<n$, and $p^2\nmid a_0$. To prove it, suppose $F=GH$ with both factors of positive degree. After removing contents, Gauss's lemma lets us take $G,H\in \mathbb{Z}[X]$ primitive. Reduction modulo $p$ givesso both reduced factors are monomials of positive degree. Their constant terms are therefore divisible by $p$, making $p^2$ divide $a_0=G(0)H(0)$, a contradiction.

An algebraic integer is a complex number satisfying a monic polynomial in $\mathbb{Z}[X]$. Let $\alpha$ be one and let $m_{\alpha }\in \mathbb{Q}[X]$ be its monic minimal polynomial. The usual proof using polynomial content shows that $m_{\alpha }\in \mathbb{Z}[X]$. The setis the kernel of the polynomial-evaluation ring homomorphism, hence an ideal. Every $f\in I_{\alpha }$ is divisible by $m_{\alpha }$ in $\mathbb{Q}[X]$. Because $m_{\alpha }$ is monic, polynomial division of $f$ by $m_{\alpha }$ takes place in $\mathbb{Z}[X]$, and the remainder must vanish by minimality. Thereforewhere $m_{\alpha }$ is monic and irreducible.

Fortranslation givesThis is Eisenstein at $p=3$, so $f(X+1)$ and therefore $f(X)$ are irreducible over $\mathbb{Q}$. HenceIrreducibility and Gauss's lemma also show that $(f)$ is a prime ideal of $\mathbb{Z}[X]$, soIt is not a field. The class of $2$ is nonzero but not a unit: reducing further modulo $2$ gives a nonzero quotientin which the image of $2$ is zero, whereas a unit must remain a unit under every unital quotient map. Thus