Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2005 / ii / Paper 2 / 20G (Number Fields)

The ring of integers is ${\mathcal{O}}_k=\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{7}]$, since $7\equiv 3(\mathrm{mod}4)$, and its discriminant is $28$. Rationalizing givesBoth are algebraic integers, so $\epsilon$ is a unit. Set $\mathfrak{p}=(3+\sqrt{7})$. Since $(3+\sqrt{7}{)}^2=2\epsilon$,Also $N(\mathfrak{p})=|N(3+\sqrt{7})|=2$. It is the unique ideal of ideal norm two: any quotient of size two is ${\mathbb{F}}_2$, and the image of $\sqrt{7}$ must satisfy $z^2=1$, hence be one. The kernel of a ring homomorphism onto ${\mathbb{F}}_2$ is uniquely $(2,1+\sqrt{7})$, which is $\mathfrak{p}$.

The given Minkowski constant means every ideal class has an integral representative of ideal norm at most $\frac{1}{2}\sqrt{28}=\sqrt{7}<3$. Such a ideal norm is one or two. The norm-one ideal is the whole ring, and the sole norm-two ideal is principal. Thus the class number is one.

If $x^2-7y^2=2$, the principal ideal $(x+y\sqrt{7})$ has ideal norm two and hence equals $\mathfrak{p}$. Its generator differs from $3+\sqrt{7}$ by a unit. Conversely multiplication by a norm-one unit preserves the field norm two. With the assumed fundamental unit, all units are $\pm {\epsilon }^n$; in fact a norm-minus-one unit is impossible since $x^2\equiv -1(\mathrm{mod}7)$ has no solution. Therefore the complete answer isFor $n=1$ and the positive sign, the product is $45+17\sqrt{7}$, giving $(x,y)=(45,17)$; $45^2-7\cdot 17^2=2$ checks the result.