Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2009 / ib / Paper 1 / 10F / Solution

In a principal ideal domain, an ascending chain of ideals stabilizes: its union is an ideal $(d)$, and its generator belongs to one member, which then contains the union. This proves the needed ascending chain condition. If a nonzero nonunit had no finite irreducible factorization, split it into two nonunits and select a factor that still has no such factorization. Continuing would give a strictly ascending chain of principal ideals, because $a=bc$ with $c$ a nonunit implies $(a)⊊(b)$. This contradicts the chain condition, so factorization exists.

An irreducible element $p$ generates a maximal ideal: any intermediate ideal is $(d)$ with $p=dc$, and irreducibility forces $d$ or $c$ to be a unit. Therefore $p$ is a prime element. In any two irreducible factorizations, the first prime factor divides a factor of the other, hence is associate to it. Cancel and continue. This proves every principal ideal domain is a unique factorization domain.

In $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{-3}]$, the multiplicative field norm is $N(a+b\sqrt{-3})=a^2+3b^2$. The only units are $\pm 1$. There is no element of norm two, so every element of norm four is irreducible: a factorization into nonunits would require norms two and two. Consequentlyis a pair of genuinely different irreducible factorizations. Neither $1+\sqrt{-3}$ nor $1-\sqrt{-3}$ is associate to $2$.

Take the Eisenstein integers $R=\mathbb{Z}[\omega ]$, where $\omega =(-1+\sqrt{-3})/2$ and ${\omega }^2+\omega +1=0$. Since $\sqrt{-3}=1+2\omega$, the embedded subring is $\mathbb{Z}+2\mathbb{Z}\omega$, whose additive index in $R$ is two. Its larger ring has Eisenstein-integer norm $N(a+b\omega )=a^2-ab+b^2$ and is Euclidean. Indeed, write a complex quotient in the real basis $1,\omega$ and round both coordinates to integers. The coordinate errors $u,v$ satisfy $|u|,|v|\le 1/2$, giving $|u+v\omega {|}^2=u^2-uv+v^2\le 3/4<1$. Thus division leaves a remainder of smaller norm. A Euclidean domain is a principal ideal domain, because division by a nonzero element of least norm in an ideal leaves zero remainder. This gives the requested index-two embedding into a principal ideal domain.