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An integral basis of a degree-$d$ number field is a $\mathbb{Z}$-basis of its ring of integers: each algebraic integer has a unique integer linear combination of those $d$ elements. For $k=\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{2})$, the standard quadratic-integer criterion gives ${\mathcal{O}}_k=\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{2}]$, since $2$ is squarefree and is not congruent to one modulo four. Thus

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 $\iota :K\hookrightarrow {\overline{\mathbb{Q}}}_p$, pull back the p-adic absolute value. This gives a place above $p$. Every element of $\mathrm{Gal}({\overline{\mathbb{Q}}}_p/{\mathbb{Q}}_p)$ preserves that absolute value, by uniqueness of its extension to each finite local extension, so equivalent embeddings give the same place.

Conversely, a place $v$ above $p$ gives a completion of a number field at a prime ideal $K_v$, a finite extension of ${\mathbb{Q}}_p$. Embed it into ${\overline{\mathbb{Q}}}_p$ and restrict to $K$. If two embeddings give the same place, they extend to two ${\mathbb{Q}}_p$-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 $K$, since rational coefficients are dense in the ${\mathbb{Q}}_p$-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 $(x)$ has only finitely many nonzero prime exponents. Its ideal norm is $|N_{K/\mathbb{Q}}(x)|$: for integral $x$, multiplication by $x$ on an integral basis has this determinant in absolute value, equal to the index of $(x)$ in ${\mathcal{O}}_K$; a quotient gives the fractional case. Hence the finite-place product is $|N_{K/\mathbb{Q}}(x){|}^{-1}$. The infinite-place product is $|N_{K/\mathbb{Q}}(x)|$, by the embedding expression for the field norm. Therefore all but finitely many local factors are one, and

Finally, let ${\Delta }_K\ne 0$ be the integer field discriminant, defined by the determinant of the trace pairing on an integral basis. If a rational prime $p$ ramifies, the algebra ${\mathcal{O}}_K/p{\mathcal{O}}_K$ has a nonzero nilpotent element: use prime ideal factorization and the Chinese remainder theorem to see a nonzero nilpotent in a factor ${\mathcal{O}}_K/{\mathfrak{p}}^e$ with $e>1$. If $y$ is nilpotent, multiplication by $yz$ is nilpotent for every $z$ in this commutative algebra, and therefore has trace zero. Thus $y$ 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.

The cubic has no rational integer root among the divisors of four, so is irreducible. Its polynomial discriminant is $4-27\cdot 16=-428=-4\cdot 107$. Thus the index $[{\mathcal{O}}_K:\mathbb{Z}[\alpha ]]$ is one or two, since its square divides the discriminant.

Set $\beta =({\alpha }^2+\alpha )/2$. Using ${\alpha }^3=\alpha +4$ givesand hence ${\beta }^3-{\beta }^2-3\beta -2=0$. Therefore $\beta$ is integral. The lattice spanned by $1,\alpha ,\beta$ contains $\mathbb{Z}[\alpha ]$ with index two. Changing basis divides the discriminant by four, giving $-107$, which is squarefree. An integral lattice of full rank with squarefree discriminant cannot have any further index in the full ring of integers. Henceis the required integral basis. The relations also give $\alpha ={\beta }^2-\beta -2$, so this ring can equally be generated by $\beta$.

By the preceding argument take a nonzero integer $m\in \mathfrak{a}$. The ideal property gives $m{\mathcal{O}}_L\subseteq \mathfrak{a}$. If $d=[L:\mathbb{Q}]$, an integral basis identifies the additive group of ${\mathcal{O}}_L$ with ${\mathbb{Z}}^d$, soThe natural projection onto ${\mathcal{O}}_L/\mathfrak{a}$ is surjective. Thus the latter is an abelian group of order at most $|m{|}^d$, provingIn particular the ideal is a full-rank integer lattice; this permits the integral-basis argument in the next part.

Choose an integral basis $u_1,\dots ,u_d$ of the nonzero ideal $\mathfrak{a}$. Its rational span is $L$, since it contains a nonzero integer multiple of ${\mathcal{O}}_L$. The condition $x\mathfrak{a}\subseteq \mathfrak{a}$ gives integers $m_{ij}$ with $x{u}_j={\sum }_i{m}_{ij}{u}_i$. Thus multiplication by $x$ on $L$ has an integer matrix $M$ in this basis.

Its characteristic polynomial $P(t)=\det (tI-M)$ is monic with integer coefficients. By the Cayley-Hamilton theorem, $P(M)=0$. On the field $L$, this is multiplication by $P(x)$, so $P(x)=0$. Hence $x$ is an algebraic integer, andThis is the determinant trick for an ideal preserved by multiplication.

We prove the conjugate product of a quadratic ideal identity $\mathfrak{a}\overline{\mathfrak{a}}=(N(\mathfrak{a}))$, which applies to the given two-generator ideal without assuming its displayed generators form an integral basis.

The quadratic ring of integers of a number field has a basis $1,\omega$ over $\mathbb{Z}$: the vector 1 is primitive, since a rational algebraic integer must be an integer, and extends to an integral basis. Write ${\omega }^2-T\omega +U=0$, with $T,U\in \mathbb{Z}$. Let $B$ be the least positive integer in $\mathfrak{a}$ and let $s>0$ generate the set of coefficients of $\omega$ in elements of $\mathfrak{a}$. Its lattice basis can be chosen as $B,r+s\omega$, with $r\in \mathbb{Z}$. Since $B\omega \in \mathfrak{a}$, comparison of coefficients shows $s\mid B$ and $s\mid r$. Write $B=sd$, $r=se$ and $\theta =e+\omega$. ThenThe scaled ideal $\mathfrak{j}=s^{-1}\mathfrak{a}$ remains an ${\mathcal{O}}_L$-ideal. From ${\theta }^2-T^{\prime }\theta +U^{\prime }=0$ we get $U^{\prime }\in \mathfrak{j}\cap \mathbb{Z}=d\mathbb{Z}$, so $d\mid U^{\prime }$. The product $\mathfrak{j}\bar{\mathfrak{j}}$ is generated as an ideal by $d^2,d\theta ,d\bar{\theta },U^{\prime }$ and is contained in $(d)$.

Moreover $\gcd (d,T^{\prime },U^{\prime }/d)=1$. If a prime $\ell$ divided all three, then $\ell \mid T^{\prime }$ and ${\ell }^2\mid U^{\prime }$, so $\theta /\ell$ would satisfy the monic integer polynomial $z^2-(T^{\prime }/\ell )z+U^{\prime }/{\ell }^2$. It would lie in ${\mathcal{O}}_L$, impossible because its $\omega$ coefficient in the integral basis is $1/\ell$. Bezout identity now expresses one as an integer combination of $d,T^{\prime },U^{\prime }/d$. Multiplying by $d$, the terms are $d^2$, $d{T}^{\prime }=d\theta +d\bar{\theta }$, and $U^{\prime }$, all in the product. Hence $d$ belongs to it, proving $\mathfrak{j}\bar{\mathfrak{j}}=(d)$.

The determinant of the lattice basis $sd,s(e+\omega )$ gives the ideal norm $N(\mathfrak{a})=s^{2}d$. ConsequentlyIn particular $⟨b,\alpha ⟩⟨b,\bar{\alpha }⟩$ is principal. This does not require the original $b$ to be nonzero or the ideal itself to be principal.

Let ${\omega }_1,\dots ,{\omega }_n$ be an integral basis of ${\mathcal{O}}_K$. Since each ${\alpha }_j$ is an algebraic integer, there is an integer matrix $A=(a_{ij})$ such thatThe ${\alpha }_j$ form a $\mathbb{Q}$-basis, so $\det A\ne 0$.

Products of algebraic integers are algebraic integers, and their traces are rational algebraic integers, hence ordinary integers. Therefore every entryis integral. Part (i) makes the trace Gram matrix nonsingular, so $\Delta ({\alpha }_1,\dots ,{\alpha }_n)$ is a nonzero integer.

Let $G_{\omega }$ and $G_{\alpha }$ be the two trace Gram matrices. A change of basis givesTaking determinants yields the discriminant-index formula for an integral latticewhere $d_K=\det G_{\omega }$ is the field discriminant. Since $\det A$ is a nonzero integer,Equality holds exactly when $|\det A|=1$, which is equivalent to $A$ being unimodular and to ${\alpha }_1,\dots ,{\alpha }_n$ being a $\mathbb{Z}$-basis of ${\mathcal{O}}_K$. Thus the minimum is the positive integer

For the $n$ distinct complex embeddings ${\sigma }_1,\dots ,{\sigma }_n$ of the number field, define the discriminant of elements of a number field byThe equality follows by multiplying the transpose of the embedding matrix by itself. Each field trace is rational: it is also the trace of the rational matrix of multiplication by $w_i{w}_j$ on $K$. Thus the determinant lies in $\mathbb{Q}$. If the $w_i$ are algebraic integers, the products and their conjugates are algebraic integers, and so are their sums. A rational algebraic integer is an integer, hence all trace entries and their determinant are integers.

Write $u_j={\sum }_i{a}_{ij}{v}_i$. The inclusion of the generated abelian groups makes $A=(a_{ij})$ an integer matrix. Its embedding matrix is the embedding matrix of the $v_i$ multiplied by $A$. Taking squared determinants givesFor independent algebraic integers $v_i$, choose an integral basis ${\omega }_i$ of ${\mathcal{O}}_K$. The same formula gives $D(v)=[{\mathcal{O}}_K:{\sum }_i\mathbb{Z}{v}_i{]}^{2}D(\omega )$. If $D(v)$ is nonzero and a square-free integer, the integer index must be one, proving that the $v_i$ form an integral basis.

Now put $\beta =3\alpha +4$. Since $\mathbb{Q}(\beta )=\mathbb{Q}(\alpha )$ has degree three, the monic polynomialis its minimal polynomial of an algebraic element. The field norm is the negative of its constant term:For the discriminant calculation, $f^{\prime }(\alpha )=3{\alpha }^2+4\alpha$. In the basis $1,\alpha ,{\alpha }^2$, using ${\alpha }^3=-2{\alpha }^2-1$, multiplication by this element has matrixThus the given derivative-norm formula gives $D(1,\alpha ,{\alpha }^2)=-59$. Since $\alpha$ satisfies a monic polynomial with integer coefficients, $1,\alpha ,{\alpha }^2$ are algebraic integers; the fact that a squarefree discriminant certifies an integral basis proves

For the basis $w_1,\dots ,w_d$, its discriminant isEquivalently it is the square of the determinant of the matrix of the $d$ embeddings applied to the basis vectors. It is nonzero because number fields are separable. An integral basis is a basis of the ring of integers as a free abelian group; in particular it is a rational basis of the field and expresses every algebraic integer uniquely with integer coefficients.

To prove existence, start with any rational basis and multiply each vector by a suitable nonzero integer to make it integral. This is possible by clearing coefficients in its monic rational minimal polynomial of an algebraic element and rescaling the variable. Let $M$ be the lattice spanned over $\mathbb{Z}$ by these integral vectors, and let $D\ne 0$ be its discriminant. For any algebraic integer $\alpha ={\sum }_j{c}_j{w}_j$, each trace $\mathrm{Tr}(\alpha w_i)$ is an integer. The resulting linear system has integral coefficient matrix with determinant $D$. Its adjugate matrix shows $c_j\in D^{-1}\mathbb{Z}$. ThusA subgroup of a finitely generated free abelian group is free and finitely generated. Here its rank is $d$, since it contains $M$ and is contained in a rank-$d$ lattice. Its free generators are the required integral basis.

For squarefree $d\ne 1$, the quadratic integral basis isThe source allows squarefree nonzero integers, so the degenerate value $d=1$ gives $K=\mathbb{Q}$ and basis $\{1\}$ instead of a two-element basis.

In the biquadratic field define the three automorphisms by changing respectively the sign of $\sqrt{r}$, the sign of $\sqrt{2}$, and both signs. Their actions areHence the three sums are $2a+2b\sqrt{2}$, $2a+2c\sqrt{r}$ and $2a+2d\sqrt{2r}$. If $\mu$ is integral, each sum is integral and lies in its displayed quadratic subfield. Their radicands are squarefree and respectively congruent to two, three and two modulo four. The quadratic basis formula therefore forces all their two coefficients to be integers, proving

Choose a nonzero integral ideal $B$ whose class is $[A{]}^{-1}$; one can multiply the fractional inverse $A^{-1}$ by a suitable nonzero integer to obtain such a $B$. By the given bound choose $0\ne \beta \in B$ with $|N(\beta )|\le c_{K}N(B)$. Put $I_A=(\beta )B^{-1}$. Since $(\beta )\subseteq B$, multiplication by $B^{-1}$ makes $I_A$ an integral ideal. Its class is $[B{]}^{-1}=[A]$, and multiplicativity of ideal norms givesThis proves the class representative bound without accidentally constructing a representative of the inverse class instead.

To determine the Ideal class group of Q of square root minus thirty-four, write $\eta =\sqrt{-34}$. The given integral basis has discriminant $-136$, so the imaginary-quadratic bound is $4\sqrt{34}/\pi <8$. Every class therefore has a representative of ideal norm at most seven, and factoring such representatives shows that the ideal class group is generated by prime ideals of ideal norm at most seven.

Two ramifies: let $P_2=(2,\eta )$, with $P_2^2=(2)$. Three is inert because $X^2+34\equiv X^2+1$ is irreducible modulo three, so its prime ideal ideal norm is nine and supplies no small generator. At five and seven the roots are $\pm 1$, so the primes of ideal norm five and seven are conjugate pairs. Set $P_5=(5,\eta -1)$ and $P_7=(7,\eta +1)$. Their conjugates have inverse ideal classes. No new prime ideal has ideal norm four, since the only prime above two has residue degree one; six is not a prime power. Thus $[P_2],[P_5],[P_7]$ generate the ideal class group.

The element field norms $N(4+\eta )=50$ and $N(1+\eta )=35$, together with reduction at the split primes, giveThe ideal norm products verify both exponents. Consequently $[P_5{]}^2=[P_2]$ and $[P_7]=[P_5]$, so the whole group is generated by $[P_5]$ and its order divides four. The class $[P_2]$ is not trivial: a generator would be an element of the ring of integers $a+b\eta$ of field norm two, but $a^2+34b^2=2$ has no integer solution. Since $[P_2{]}^2=1$, its order is exactly two. Hence $[P_5]$ has order four and

An integral basis is a $\mathbb{Z}$-basis of the ring of integers ${\mathcal{O}}_K$; its elements also form a $\mathbb{Q}$-basis of $K$.

To prove existence, first multiply the elements of a rational basis by suitable nonzero integers to obtain an integral rational basis $w_1,\dots ,w_n$. Put $M={\sum }_j\mathbb{Z}{w}_j$. The trace pairing is nondegenerate in characteristic zero, and the matrix $T=(\mathrm{Tr}(w_i{w}_j))$ has integer entries and nonzero determinant $\Delta$. If $\alpha ={\sum }_j{c}_j{w}_j$ is integral, all $\mathrm{Tr}(\alpha w_i)$ are integers, so $Tc\in {\mathbb{Z}}^n$. The adjugate formula gives $c\in {\Delta }^{-1}{\mathbb{Z}}^n$. ConsequentlyA subgroup of a free abelian group is free, and these inclusions force rank $n$. A $\mathbb{Z}$-basis of ${\mathcal{O}}_K$ is therefore an integral basis.

Now put $s={\theta }^2=\sqrt{d}$ and $F=\mathbb{Q}(s)$. The polynomial $X^4-d$ is irreducible by Eisenstein at any prime dividing the squarefree $d$, except for $d=-1$, where $(X+1{)}^4+1$ is Eisenstein at $2$. Thus $[K:\mathbb{Q}]=4$ and $[K:F]=2$. Every $\gamma \in K$ has the unique form $\alpha +\beta \theta$ with $\alpha ,\beta \in F$. The nontrivial $F$-automorphism sends $\theta$ to $-\theta$, so an integral $\gamma$ has integral conjugate $\alpha -\beta \theta$. Relative trace and norm of integral elements are integral in $F$. Applying them to $\gamma$ and taking the trace of $\theta \gamma$ givesThe power basis has discriminantIndeed, the resultant of $X^4-d$ and $4X^3$ is $4^4\prod {\theta }_j^3=-256d^3$; the discriminant sign factor is $(-1{)}^6=1$. By the discriminant-index formula for an integral lattice, a prime dividing $[{\mathcal{O}}_K:\mathbb{Z}[\theta ]]$ must divide $2d$.

No odd prime $p\mid d$ can divide this index. The Eisenstein equation gives ${\theta }^4/p\in {\mathcal{O}}_K$, while $r{\theta }^i/p$ has nonintegral field norm for $p\nmid r$ and $0\le i<4$: its $p$-adic norm valuation is $i-4<0$. If $p^{-1}{\sum }_{i=0}^3{r}_i{\theta }^i$ were integral, multiplication by ${\theta }^3$ first forces $p\mid r_0$; subtracting $r_0/p$ and multiplying by ${\theta }^2$ forces $p\mid r_1$. Continuing forces all coefficients divisible by $p$. This excludes an index element of order $p$.

To exclude $2$, any index element of order two would be represented by an integralwith integers $a,b,c,e$ not all even. Here $\alpha =(a+cs)/2$ and $\beta =(b+es)/2$. The integrality of ${\alpha }^2-{\beta }^{2}s$ forcesSince $d\equiv 3(\mathrm{mod}4)$, the first congruence implies $a,c$ have the same parity. If both were odd, the second would require $b^2+3e^2\equiv 2(\mathrm{mod}4)$, impossible. Hence $a,c$ are even. The second congruence then forces $b,e$ to have the same parity, while the first forces $be$ even. Thus $b,e$ are even too, a contradiction. Therefore the index is one andFor the last request, let $t=\sqrt[4]{5}$ and take $\delta =(t+t^3)/2$. It satisfies ${\delta }^2=(5+3\sqrt{5})/2$, and henceThis monic integer polynomial proves integrality. Its coordinates in the rational power basis have halves, so $\delta \notin \mathbb{Z}[t]$. Also $\delta =t(1+\sqrt{5})/2$ with a nonzero coefficient in $\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{5})$; if $\delta$ were in that quadratic field, then $t$ would be too, contradicting degree four. Thus it meets both exclusions.

The product of ideals $AB$ consists of finite sums ${\sum }_j{a}_j{b}_j$ with $a_j\in A$, $b_j\in B$. Ideal divisibility $P\mid A$ means $A=PC$ for an integral ideal $C$; in this ring it is equivalent to $A\subseteq P$. The ideal norm is $N(A)=|{\mathcal{O}}_K/A|$, equivalently its additive lattice index.

If the prime ideal $P$ divides $AB$ but does not divide $A$, choose $a\in A\setminus P$. For every $b\in B$, $ab\in AB\subseteq P$, so primality gives $b\in P$. Thus $B\subseteq P$, proving $P\mid B$.

Every nonzero proper ideal $A$ is contained in a maximal ideal $P$, which is prime. Then $P\mid A$, so $A=PB$. Norm multiplicativity gives $N(B)=N(A)/N(P)<N(A)$ because $N(P)\ge 2$. Induction on the positive integer $N(A)$ gives a prime-ideal factorization, ending at norm one. For uniqueness, a prime in one factorization divides some prime in the other. Every nonzero prime ideal is maximal, since its quotient is a finite integral domain and hence a field. The two primes therefore coincide. Cancel that common factor using the permitted cancellation law, and continue. This proves uniqueness up to order.

The finite additive group ${\mathcal{O}}_K/A$ has order $N(A)$, so that integer annihilates the class of $1$. ThereforeIn particular an ideal of norm $m$ contains $(m)$. Such ideals correspond to certain additive subgroups of the finite group ${\mathcal{O}}_K/(m)$, so there are finitely many. Finiteness of these quotients follows from an integral basis; a nonzero ideal contains a nonzero principal ideal, whose index is the absolute field norm of its generator.

For the computation put $s=\sqrt{-6}$. The Kummer-Dedekind theorem says that when $p$ does not divide the power-basis index, a factorization $\bar{f}={\prod }_i{\bar{g}}_i^{e_i}$ gives $(p)={\prod }_i(p,g_i(s){)}^{e_i}$, with each factor having norm $p^{\mathrm{deg}{g}_i}$. The given full power basis has index one. Since $X^2+6\equiv X^2(\mathrm{mod}2)$ and $X^2+6\equiv (X-1)(X+1)(\mathrm{mod}7)$,Here $N(P)=2$ and $N(Q)=N(Q^{\prime })=7$. A prime ideal dividing an ideal of norm $98=2\cdot 7^2$ lies above $2$ or $7$, and these are all the prime ideals above them. Unique factorization and norm multiplicativity therefore leave exactlyThey are distinct by their prime-ideal valuations, and each has norm $98$.

An integral basis is a $\mathbb{Z}$-basis of the ring of integers ${\mathcal{O}}_K$; it consists of $n$ algebraic integers and is also a $\mathbb{Q}$-basis of $K$.

The lattice $M$ has finite index $h=[{\mathcal{O}}_K:M]>1$. Choose a prime $p\mid h$. The finite abelian group ${\mathcal{O}}_K/M$ has an element of order $p$, represented by $\alpha \in {\mathcal{O}}_K\setminus M$. ThusIf all $c_j$ were divisible by $p$, cancellation in the characteristic-zero field would put $\alpha$ in $M$, a contradiction. The discriminant-index formula for an integral lattice giveswhere ${\Delta }^2(K)$ is an integer. Hence $p^2\mid {\Delta }^2(M)$, and the required integral element is $\alpha =p^{-1}{\sum }_j{c}_j{w}_j$.

If $K(\alpha )/K$ is a simple algebraic field extension of degree $n$, the displayed powers form a basis. The minimal polynomial of $\alpha$ reduces every higher power to a linear combination of them, while a nontrivial linear relation among the first $n$ powers would give a polynomial of degree below the minimal polynomial vanishing at $\alpha$. If $\alpha$ is an algebraic integer over the rational numbers, this is a basis of the order $\mathbb{Z}[\alpha ]$ as a free abelian group; it need not be an integral basis of the whole ring of integers.

Let $I$ be an integral ideal of an imaginary quadratic number field and $(e_1,e_2)$ an integral basis of $I$. Its normalized norm is a positive definite binary quadratic form. An unramified rational prime $p$ is represented by this form exactly when there is an integral prime ideal $P$ of norm $p$ with $[P]=[I{]}^{-1}$. Indeed, a representation gives an element $\alpha \in I$ with $N\alpha =pN(I)$, so $P=(\alpha )I^{-1}$ is integral of norm $p$. Conversely, $IP=(\alpha )$ with $\alpha \in I$ produces a representation by expressing $\alpha$ in the basis. Artin reciprocity then detects this ideal class by Frobenius in the Hilbert class field.

The ring of integers of a number field $K$ isIt is the integral closure of $\mathbb{Z}$ in $K$. Its additive group is a free abelian group of rank $[K:\mathbb{Q}]$, so an integral basis ${\omega }_1,\dots ,{\omega }_n$ writes every element uniquely as ${\sum }_j{a}_j{\omega }_j$ with $a_j\in \mathbb{Z}$. Its field of fractions is $K$.^[ref]

For $K=\mathbb{Q}$, this gives ${\mathcal{O}}_K=\mathbb{Z}$; for $K=\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{2})$, it gives $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{2}]$. The Gaussian integers give the corresponding example inside $\mathbb{Q}(i)$. The ring of integers is determined by the field, and need not equal $\mathbb{Z}[\theta ]$ for a chosen algebraic integer generator: in $\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{5})$, the larger ring $\mathbb{Z}[(1+\sqrt{5})/2]$ contains $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{5}]$ with index two.

This is the setting for divisibility, global units, and prime ideal factorization. A ring of integers is a Dedekind domain, so every nonzero proper ideal factors uniquely into nonzero prime ideals, even when unique factorization of elements fails.^[ref]

Let $d\ne 0,1$ be a square-free integer, and let $K=\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{d})$ be the associated quadratic field. ThenThe pair $1,{\omega }_d$ is an integral basis. The field discriminant is $d$ in the first case and $4d$ in the second. This statement requires $d$ to be a square-free integer: for example, $\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{8})=\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{2})$ but $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{8}]$ omits $\sqrt{2}$.^[ref]

For $d=2$, the integral basis is $1,\sqrt{2}$, and the field discriminant is $8$. For $d=5$, it is $1,\varphi$ with $\varphi =(1+\sqrt{5})/2$, and the field discriminant is $5$. The identity ${\varphi }^2=\varphi +1$ makes $\mathbb{Z}[\varphi ]$ closed under multiplication. Since $\sqrt{5}=2\varphi -1$, the smaller order in a number field $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{5}]$ consists precisely of $a+b\varphi$ with even $b$. This computes its index two and shows concretely why adjoining a square root does not always supply every algebraic integer.

In this second integral basis, the field norm isIn particular, $N(\varphi )=-1$ and ${\varphi }^{-1}=\varphi -1$: the extra algebraic integer is also a unit. The units of the quadratic field Q square root of five describe all its powers.

Since $2\not\equiv 1(\mathrm{mod}4)$, the ring of integers of $\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{2})$ iswith integral basis $1,\sqrt{2}$ and field discriminant eight. Multiplication is ordinary polynomial multiplication followed by $(\sqrt{2}{)}^2=2$:For example, $(1+\sqrt{2}{)}^2=3+2\sqrt{2}$ and $(1+\sqrt{2}{)}^3=7+5\sqrt{2}$. The integer coefficients stay integral, as required for a ring.

Under the two field embeddings, the element $a+b\sqrt{2}$ becomes the point $(a+b\sqrt{2},a-b\sqrt{2})$. The integral basis vectors become $(1,1)$ and $(\sqrt{2},-\sqrt{2})$, giving a Minkowski embedding of a real quadratic field. Their determinant has absolute value $2\sqrt{2}=\sqrt{8}$, consistent with the field discriminant.

For a number field $K$ and an algebraic integer $\alpha \in {\mathcal{O}}_K$, the criterion isHere the absolute field norm means the field norm down to $\mathbb{Q}$; its absolute value is one. Necessity follows from $N(\alpha )N({\alpha }^{-1})=1$ with both factors integers. Conversely, multiplication by $\alpha$ on an integral basis is a matrix with integer entries and determinant $\pm 1$. Its inverse also has integer entries, and applying that inverse to $1$ gives ${\alpha }^{-1}\in {\mathcal{O}}_K$. The integrality hypothesis matters: $\alpha =(3+\sqrt{2})/(3-\sqrt{2})=(11+6\sqrt{2})/7$ has field norm one, but is not in $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{2}]$.

In $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{2}]$, the criterion becomes $a^2-2b^2=\pm 1$. Thus $(1+\sqrt{2}{)}^{-1}=\sqrt{2}-1$ and $(3+2\sqrt{2}{)}^{-1}=3-2\sqrt{2}$ are again algebraic integers. These units produce infinite families of solutions to the Pell equation.