Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 ib Paper 1 9E iv Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
If (i) holds, the submodule theorem for free modules over a principal ideal domain says that any submodule is free. Its rank is at most , since tensoring the inclusion with embeds into . Hence has at most generators, proving (iv).
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 ib Paper 1 9E Solution Created 2026-09-23 Updated 2026-09-25
Suppose the additive group of the integral domain is isomorphic to . Every ideal is then an additive subgroup of a finitely generated free abelian group, so it has finitely many additive generators . These also generate as an -ideal: integer coefficients are coefficients from the canonical copy of in . Thus every ideal is finitely generated, proving that is Noetherian by noetherianity from finite additive rank.
For an example that fails (i)--(iv), takeIt is an integral domain and has additive group . The idealhas index two: modulo , one has and , and the resulting quotient is . If , multiplication by its generator would have determinant and absolute indexwhich has no integer solution. Hence is not principal, as detailed in nonprincipal ideal in the integers adjoined a square root of minus five. Condition (i), and therefore all four equivalent conditions, fails.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 ib Paper 2 1E i Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 ib Paper 3 10E a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
To deduce the final assertion, use the characterization that an integral domain is a unique factorization domain when it is atomic and every irreducible element is prime. Factoring the contents in and then the primitive parts by degree shows that is atomic.
An irreducible constant of is prime in . Every irreducible polynomial of positive degree is, up to a constant unit, primitive. Part (i) makes it irreducible in ; because is a principal ideal domain, it is prime there, and part (ii) makes it prime in . Thus every irreducible of is prime, andThis is the polynomial ring over a unique factorization domain theorem.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 ib Paper 3 2E Solution Created 2026-09-23 Updated 2026-09-25
In the Poincare half-plane model, the Riemannian metricassigns to a smooth curve the lengthThe metric is conformal to the Euclidean metric, so hyperbolic and Euclidean angles agree. Its area element is
The two geodesics from and to infinity are the vertical lines and , while the third side is the unit semicircle. The triangle lies above that semicircle, so its area isIts interior angles are , , and zero at the ideal vertex, and henceTriangulating a geodesic polygon with sides into triangles givesthe area of a hyperbolic geodesic polygon and the polygonal Gauss-Bonnet theorem.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 iii Paper 101 1 a i Solution Created 2026-09-28 Updated 2026-10-03
False. The integers form a Noetherian ring, since every ideal is principal, but this ring is not an Artinian ring: the strictly descending chainnever stabilizes.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 ii Paper 3 24G Solution Created 2026-09-23 Updated 2026-09-25
For an algebraically closed field , the strong Hilbert Nullstellensatz says that every ideal satisfiesIts weak form says that exactly when . Now let and let be a homogeneous ideal. The affine zero set of is the affine cone over together with the origin. Hence, when the projective zero set is empty, eitheror the affine zero set is exactly the origin. In the latter case the Hilbert Nullstellensatz givesthe irrelevant ideal of projective space. Equivalently, some power is contained in . These are precisely the alternatives in the Projective Nullstellensatz.
Let be a smooth quadric surface. After a projective linear transformation, the Segre embedding identifiesChoose distinct points . The two fibresare the promised disjoint curves on a smooth quadric surface: each is a smooth projective line, and . By the Bézout theorem, any two nonempty curves in the projective plane intersect. An isomorphism of algebraic varieties preserves intersections and takes projective curves to projective curves, so these disjoint curves prove
Next let be a smooth projective curve and let be a rational map to a projective variety. At a point outside its initial domain, writeusing elements of the function field . The local ring of a smooth algebraic curve at is a discrete valuation ring. If , multiplying every coordinate by a function of valuation makes all coordinates regular at and at least one a unit there. They therefore define a morphism near . Repeating this at the finitely many missing points proves the extension of a rational map from a smooth projective curve.
Smoothness is essential. Let be the normalization of a nodal curve for a rational nodal cubic . The inverse is a rational map on the smooth locus. If it extended to a morphism , then would agree with the identity on a dense Zariski-open subset of and hence everywhere. But the two distinct points above the node would satisfya contradiction. This is the failure of rational-map extension on a singular curve.
Finally take the Fermat cubic curveand define the projective hypersurfaceBecause and have no common irreducible factor, the bihomogeneous polynomial is irreducible, so is an algebraic variety. Letbe the second coordinate projection. Every homogeneous cubic in three variables has a projective zero over , so every fibre is nonempty and is a surjective morphism. Over the fibre is the Fermat cubic curve, which is smooth and has genusOver the fibre isthe union of exactly three distinct projective lines, hence exactly three irreducible components. This is the cubic pencil with a triangular member required by the question.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ib Paper 2 9E a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
An ideal of has the form for an ideal of . If is Noetherian, writeThenso every ideal of is finitely generated. Hence
The Hilbert basis theorem states that is Noetherian whenever is Noetherian. The integers form a principal ideal domain, so every ideal of has one generator and is Noetherian. It follows that is Noetherian.
For a nonsquare integer , evaluation at givesIt is surjective and its kernel is . Therefore is Noetherian by the quotient result. This is the noetherianity of a quadratic integer order.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ib Paper 2 9E b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
The coefficient condition says precisely that every nonconstant monomial has positive powers of both variables. ThusIf and lie in , so do their sum and their productso is a subring of .
For , letThen . The containment is strict because : multiplying a generator by an element of produces either a scalar multiple of , or terms divisible by . It cannot produce the monomial when . Henceis a strictly increasing ideal chain. The constant-plus-ideal non-Noetherian subring therefore satisfies
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ib Paper 3 10E b ii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ib Paper 4 9E a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
An -module is free if it has a basis: a subset such that every element has a unique expression as a finite -linear combination of elements of .
Choose a maximal ideal of the nonzero ring . If , quotienting by givesThese are vector spaces over the field , so equality of dimension gives . This proves invariant basis number for a commutative ring.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ib Paper 4 9E b ii Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-03
We prove by induction on that every submodule is free. The case is immediate. Let be projection onto the first coordinate. Since is a principal ideal domain,for some . If , then and induction applies. Otherwise choose with . For every , write ; then . Also because is a domain and . ThereforeThe kernel is a submodule of and is free by induction, while . Hence is free. This is the submodule theorem for free modules over a principal ideal domain.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 ii Paper 1 25F Solution Created 2026-09-23 Updated 2026-09-25
A nonempty topological space is irreducible when it is not the union of two proper closed subsets, equivalently when any two nonempty open subsets intersect.
The Zariski topology on is Noetherian because satisfies the ascending chain condition on ideals. Suppose a closed set that is not a finite union of irreducible closed sets were minimal among such counterexamples. It is reducible, say with both proper closed subsets. Minimality expresses each as a finite union of irreducible closed sets, and combining those decompositions contradicts the choice of . Thus every closed has a finite irreducible decomposition.
Using , the second defining polynomial reduces toConsequentlyEach component is the image of and is isomorphic to , hence irreducible. In characteristic two the two displayed components coincide.
Suppose a polynomial vanishes on every . Thenas an entire function. These exponential-polynomial functions are linearly independent: applying kills the term with largest exponent, while it acts injectively on for ; induction on the number of terms finishes the proof. Hence every is zero, so no nonzero polynomial vanishes on the graph. Its Zariski closure is all of .
Finally refine an open cover of an affine variety by distinguished opens , choosing one inside an original member around each point. Since these distinguished opens cover,The Hilbert Nullstellensatz implies that the generate the unit ideal. Thusfor finitely many of them, so cover . The corresponding original open sets form a finite subcover. This is quasi-compactness of an affine variety.