Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2015 / ii / Paper 2 / 17F (Galois Theory)

The Fundamental theorem of Galois theory gives an inclusion-reversing bijection between subgroups $H\le \mathrm{Gal}(L/K)$ and intermediate fields $M$, by $H\mapsto L^H$ and $M\mapsto \mathrm{Gal}(L/M)$, for a finite Galois extension. One has $[L:L^H]=|H|$ and $[L^H:K]=[\mathrm{Gal}(L/K):H]$. The field $L^H$ is Galois over $K$ exactly when $H$ is normal; then its Galois group is the quotient by $H$.

Let $\alpha =\sqrt[3]{2}$ and $\zeta =e^{2\pi i/3}$. The splitting field is $L=\mathbb{Q}(\alpha ,\zeta )$. A splitting field in characteristic zero is normal and separable, hence Galois. Eisenstein criterion at $2$ gives $[\mathbb{Q}(\alpha ):\mathbb{Q}]=3$. This field is real, whereas $\zeta$ is not, and $\zeta$ satisfies a quadratic polynomial. Thus $[L:\mathbb{Q}]=6$. The faithful permutation action on the three roots identifies the Galois group with $S_3$. The subgroup fixing $\alpha$ is generated by the transposition interchanging the other two roots. Its conjugates are different transposition subgroups, so it is not normal.

The cyclotomic polynomial is ${\Phi }_8(t)=t^4+1$. Over ${\mathbb{F}}_7$,since the middle coefficient in the product is $2-9=-7=0$. Both factors have positive degree, proving reducibility. In fact their discriminant $5$ is not a square modulo $7$, so these are the two irreducible quadratic factors.

Write $K=\mathbb{Q}({\mu }_m)$, $L=\mathbb{Q}({\mu }_n)$. For coprime $m,n$, Bézout's identity and powers of a primitive $mn$-th root give $KL=\mathbb{Q}({\mu }_{mn})$. The degrees of these cyclotomic fields are $\phi (m)$, $\phi (n)$ and $\phi (mn)=\phi (m)\phi (n)$. The natural restriction mapis injective and, by these orders, bijective. Under this product description the subgroups fixing $K$ and $L$ are the two complementary factors. Together they generate the whole group, so their common fixed field is $\mathbb{Q}$. By the Fundamental theorem of Galois theory, $K\cap L=\mathbb{Q}$. This also includes $m=1$ or $n=1$.