Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2012 / iii / Paper 81 / 1 / Solution

Let $L/K$ be an extension of number fields, let $\alpha \in {\mathcal{O}}_L$ be a primitive element of a field extension, and let $f\in {\mathcal{O}}_K[X]$ be its monic minimal polynomial of an algebraic element. Put $R={\mathcal{O}}_K[\alpha ]$ and $S={\mathcal{O}}_L$. The Kummer-Dedekind theorem applies at a nonzero prime ideal $\mathfrak{p}$ of ${\mathcal{O}}_K$ when $R_{\mathfrak{p}}=S_{\mathfrak{p}}$: equivalently, $\mathfrak{p}$ is outside the support of the finite-index quotient $S/R$. Write the factorization over the residue field $k={\mathcal{O}}_K/\mathfrak{p}$ aswith distinct monic irreducible polynomials ${\overline{g}}_j$, and choose monic lifts $g_j\in {\mathcal{O}}_K[X]$. ThenHere $f({\mathfrak{P}}_j/\mathfrak{p})$ denotes the residue-field degree, and the ramification index of a prime ideal is $m_j$.

To prove this, the local index condition givesThe final isomorphism is the Chinese remainder theorem. Each factor is a local ring with unique maximal ideal generated by ${\overline{g}}_j$, so its inverse image in $S$ is exactly ${\mathfrak{P}}_j$, and its residue field is $k[X]/({\overline{g}}_j)$. This proves the list of primes and the residue-field degrees. For the exponents, localize at ${\mathfrak{P}}_j$. The ring of integers of a number field is a Dedekind domain, so $S_{{\mathfrak{P}}_j}$ is a discrete valuation ring. If $\mathfrak{p}{S}_{{\mathfrak{P}}_j}={\mathfrak{P}}_j^{e_j}{S}_{{\mathfrak{P}}_j}$, the quotient has $e_j$ successive layers isomorphic to $S/{\mathfrak{P}}_j$, and hence $k$-dimension $e_j\mathrm{deg}{\overline{g}}_j$. The corresponding polynomial factor has $k$-dimension $m_j\mathrm{deg}{\overline{g}}_j$. Thus $e_j=m_j$, completing the proof rather than merely identifying the radicals.

For the calculation, set $K=\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{5})$ and $t=(\sqrt{5}-1)/2$. The ring of integers of a quadratic field gives ${\mathcal{O}}_K=\mathbb{Z}[t]$, with $t^2+t-1=0$. The algebraic norm of $4+\sqrt{5}$ is $11$, so its principal ideal has ideal norm $11$. Its quotient ring has prime order and is therefore the finite field ${\mathbb{F}}_{11}$; consequently $(4+\sqrt{5})$ is a prime ideal. In that residue field, $\sqrt{5}=-4=7$ and $t=3$.

Let $L=\mathbb{Q}({\zeta }_5)$. Since $t={\zeta }_5+{\zeta }_5^{-1}$ lies in $\mathbb{Z}[{\zeta }_5]$, the permitted identity ${\mathcal{O}}_L=\mathbb{Z}[{\zeta }_5]$ gives ${\mathcal{O}}_L={\mathcal{O}}_K[{\zeta }_5]$. Thus the local index condition holds at every prime. The relative minimal polynomial of an algebraic element is $X^2-tX+1$, whose reduction isThe roots are distinct. Applying the Kummer-Dedekind theorem givesFor the last equality, evaluation at $5$ or $9$ in ${\mathbb{F}}_{11}$ gives ${\zeta }_5+{\zeta }_5^{-1}=3$ and therefore $4+\sqrt{5}=5+2t=0$. Both descriptions are the same kernels of these evaluation maps. Each prime has ideal norm $11$, residue-field degree one and ramification index of a prime ideal one.