Past exam of the algebraic number theory course of the University of Oxford / 2023 / 3 / c / Solution

Let $\alpha =\sqrt[3]{3}$. The polynomial $X^3-3$ is Eisenstein at three, so the number field has degree of a field extension three. Use the permitted ring of integers $R=\mathbb{Z}[\alpha ]$, whose integral basis is $1,\alpha ,{\alpha }^2$. The field traces $\mathrm{Tr}(1)=3$, $\mathrm{Tr}(\alpha )=\mathrm{Tr}({\alpha }^2)=0$, $\mathrm{Tr}({\alpha }^3)=9$, and $\mathrm{Tr}({\alpha }^4)=0$ giveThere is one real field embedding and one conjugate pair of nonreal field embeddings. The Minkowski bound for ideal classes is thereforeEvery ideal class has an integral ideal representative of ideal norm at most four, so it is enough to show that every prime ideal of ideal norm at most four is a principal ideal.

Modulo two,where the quadratic factor is an irreducible polynomial over the finite field ${\mathbb{F}}_2$. The Dedekind factorization theorem givesNowThus $(\alpha -1)=P_2$, by containment and equality of ideal norms, and cancellation in the second identity gives $({\alpha }^2+\alpha +1)=Q_2$. This explicitly handles the prime ideal of ideal norm four, as well as the one of ideal norm two.

Modulo three the polynomial is $X^3$, soThese exhaust the prime ideals of ideal norm at most four. Every bounded representative factors into the listed principal ideals, and hence is a principal ideal. Therefore the Class group of Q of cube root of three is