Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2008 / iii / Paper 32 / 1

Let $L=\mathbb{Q}(\alpha )$, where $\alpha$ is an algebraic integer with monic minimal polynomial $f\in \mathbb{Z}[X]$, and put $I=[{\mathcal{O}}_L:\mathbb{Z}[\alpha ]]$. The Kummer-Dedekind theorem applies to a prime number $p$ with $p\nmid I$. Write its reduction as a product of polynomial factors over ${\mathbb{F}}_p$:where the $g_j$ are distinct monic irreducible polynomials, choose monic integral lifts $G_j$. Then the distinct prime ideals above $p$ are ${\mathfrak{p}}_j=(p,G_j(\alpha ))$, 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 $K$: if ${\mathcal{O}}_L$ and ${\mathcal{O}}_K[\alpha ]$ agree after localization at $\mathfrak{p}$, factor the minimal polynomial over ${\mathcal{O}}_K/\mathfrak{p}$ and use $(\mathfrak{p},G_j(\alpha ))$ with the same conclusions.

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 $p\nmid \mathrm{disc}(f)$. On the other hand the power basis is a basis of the order in a number field $\mathbb{Z}[\alpha ]$, and the discriminant-index formula for an integral lattice givesHere the field discriminant $d_L$ 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.

Put $\alpha =44^{1/11}$ and $L=\mathbb{Q}(\alpha )$. The Eisenstein criterion at $11$ shows that $X^{11}-44$ is an irreducible polynomial, so $[L:\mathbb{Q}]=11$. Its derivative is $11X^{10}$, and the polynomial discriminant isThe discriminant-index formula for an integral lattice implies that the field discriminant has no prime divisor outside $\{2,11\}$. By the discriminant obstruction to ramification, every other prime is unramified.

To prove that neither candidate disappears through an index correction, let $\mathfrak{p}$ lie above $p\in \{2,11\}$ and normalize its valuation to have value group $\mathbb{Z}$. If $e=e_{\mathfrak{p}/p}$, the relation ${\alpha }^{11}=44$ givesIn both cases $11\mid e$. The fundamental identity for prime decomposition, ${\sum }_{\mathfrak{p}\mid p}{e}_{\mathfrak{p}/p}{f}_{\mathfrak{p}/p}=11$, now forces exactly one prime ideal above each candidate, with $e=11$ and $f=1$. This is ramification forced by a coprime root valuation; at $2$ it avoids an invalid direct application of the Eisenstein criterion, since $4\mid 44$. Hence