Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2008 iii Paper 32 1 ii Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
The polynomial discriminant satisfiesA polynomial has no repeated roots over the algebraic closure exactly when it is coprime to its derivative. Consequently the assumed squarefree reduction has nonzero resultant with its derivative, so . On the other hand the power basis is a basis of the order in a number field , and the discriminant-index formula for an integral lattice givesHere the field discriminant is an integer. ThereforeThis is squarefree reduction excludes a prime from the power-basis index; its argument establishes the index condition before applying the Kummer-Dedekind theorem.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2008 iii Paper 32 1 i Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Let , where is an algebraic integer with monic minimal polynomial , and put . The Kummer-Dedekind theorem applies to a prime number with . Write its reduction as a product of polynomial factors over :where the are distinct monic irreducible polynomials, choose monic integral lifts . Then the distinct prime ideals above are , andThus the multiplicity of a factor is its ramification index of a prime ideal, and its degree is the residue degree. The hypothesis on the order in a number field is essential: one cannot infer prime ideal factorization from an arbitrary defining polynomial at a prime dividing its index. There is also a relative version over a base number field : if and agree after localization at , factor the minimal polynomial over and use with the same conclusions.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 iii Paper 28 3 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
For a finite extension of number fields, the inverse different is the fractional idealThe different ideal is its inverse. The trace pairing is nondegenerate because extensions of number fields are separable, so this definition gives a full fractional ideal. The inclusion shows that is integral.
Write its prime ideal factorization as . For above , with ramification index and residue characteristic , the different exponent and tame ramification theorem saysThe equivalence uses the separability of finite residue-field extensions. In particular, precisely at unramified prime ideals; in the wild case . This theorem does not require a Galois extension. The relative discriminant is the norm of the different ideal:For , this gives .
Now take and . For any prime number , the square-free integer hypothesis makes an Eisenstein polynomial at . It is therefore irreducible, and is a pure cubic number field of degree . Since is an algebraic integer, is an order in a number field. The discriminant of elements of a number field for its basis isFor example, the resultant of and is , and the degree-three sign in the polynomial discriminant is negative. If , the discriminant-index formula for an integral lattice givesOnly prime numbers dividing can therefore divide .
For , the Eisenstein polynomial gives a totally ramified extension of of degree . Thus has a unique prime ideal above , with ramification index and residue-field degree . Since , this is tame ramification, and the different exponent and tame ramification theorem gives . Hence . Comparing with in the discriminant-index formula for an integral lattice yields .
At , use the shifted Eisenstein polynomial of :Because , the constant term is divisible by . Moreover,when : the factors and cannot both be divisible by . The hypotheses therefore give , so the translated polynomial is an Eisenstein polynomial at . The resulting completion is a totally ramified extension of degree , with residue-field degree , and its ramification index is divisible by the residue characteristic. Thus its different exponent is at least .
It follows that . But , soforces and . No prime number divides . We have proved the integral basis of a nonexceptional pure cubic field:Using local Eisenstein polynomials here only establishes the local ramification indices; it does not assume that is already the full ring of integers of a number field.
Ring of integers of a quadratic field Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
Let be a square-free integer, and let be the associated quadratic field. ThenThe pair is an integral basis. The field discriminant is in the first case and in the second. This statement requires to be a square-free integer: for example, but omits .[ref]
https://kconrad.math.uconn.edu/blurbs/gradnumthy/quadraticgrad.pdf. Conrad, Factoring in Quadratic Fields, Theorem 3.4
For , the integral basis is , and the field discriminant is . For , it is with , and the field discriminant is . The identity makes closed under multiplication. Since , the smaller order in a number field consists precisely of with even . 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, and : the extra algebraic integer is also a unit. The units of the quadratic field Q square root of five describe all its powers.