Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2017 / ii / Paper 1 / 19H (Number Fields)

Choose a nonzero $\alpha \in \mathfrak{a}$. It is an algebraic integer, with monic minimal polynomialIts constant coefficient is nonzero, since otherwise the polynomial would have the root zero and be divisible by its variable, contradicting irreducibility and $\alpha \ne 0$. Rearranging gives $c_0=-\alpha ({\alpha }^{d-1}+\cdots +c_1)$. The expression in parentheses lies in the ring of integers of a number field, so the ideal property gives $c_0\in \mathfrak{a}$. Hence

By the preceding argument take a nonzero integer $m\in \mathfrak{a}$. The ideal property gives $m{\mathcal{O}}_L\subseteq \mathfrak{a}$. If $d=[L:\mathbb{Q}]$, an integral basis identifies the additive group of ${\mathcal{O}}_L$ with ${\mathbb{Z}}^d$, soThe natural projection onto ${\mathcal{O}}_L/\mathfrak{a}$ is surjective. Thus the latter is an abelian group of order at most $|m{|}^d$, provingIn particular the ideal is a full-rank integer lattice; this permits the integral-basis argument in the next part.

Choose an integral basis $u_1,\dots ,u_d$ of the nonzero ideal $\mathfrak{a}$. Its rational span is $L$, since it contains a nonzero integer multiple of ${\mathcal{O}}_L$. The condition $x\mathfrak{a}\subseteq \mathfrak{a}$ gives integers $m_{ij}$ with $x{u}_j={\sum }_i{m}_{ij}{u}_i$. Thus multiplication by $x$ on $L$ has an integer matrix $M$ in this basis.

Its characteristic polynomial $P(t)=\det (tI-M)$ is monic with integer coefficients. By the Cayley-Hamilton theorem, $P(M)=0$. On the field $L$, this is multiplication by $P(x)$, so $P(x)=0$. Hence $x$ is an algebraic integer, andThis is the determinant trick for an ideal preserved by multiplication.

We prove the conjugate product of a quadratic ideal identity $\mathfrak{a}\overline{\mathfrak{a}}=(N(\mathfrak{a}))$, which applies to the given two-generator ideal without assuming its displayed generators form an integral basis.

The quadratic ring of integers of a number field has a basis $1,\omega$ over $\mathbb{Z}$: the vector 1 is primitive, since a rational algebraic integer must be an integer, and extends to an integral basis. Write ${\omega }^2-T\omega +U=0$, with $T,U\in \mathbb{Z}$. Let $B$ be the least positive integer in $\mathfrak{a}$ and let $s>0$ generate the set of coefficients of $\omega$ in elements of $\mathfrak{a}$. Its lattice basis can be chosen as $B,r+s\omega$, with $r\in \mathbb{Z}$. Since $B\omega \in \mathfrak{a}$, comparison of coefficients shows $s\mid B$ and $s\mid r$. Write $B=sd$, $r=se$ and $\theta =e+\omega$. ThenThe scaled ideal $\mathfrak{j}=s^{-1}\mathfrak{a}$ remains an ${\mathcal{O}}_L$-ideal. From ${\theta }^2-T^{\prime }\theta +U^{\prime }=0$ we get $U^{\prime }\in \mathfrak{j}\cap \mathbb{Z}=d\mathbb{Z}$, so $d\mid U^{\prime }$. The product $\mathfrak{j}\bar{\mathfrak{j}}$ is generated as an ideal by $d^2,d\theta ,d\bar{\theta },U^{\prime }$ and is contained in $(d)$.

Moreover $\gcd (d,T^{\prime },U^{\prime }/d)=1$. If a prime $\ell$ divided all three, then $\ell \mid T^{\prime }$ and ${\ell }^2\mid U^{\prime }$, so $\theta /\ell$ would satisfy the monic integer polynomial $z^2-(T^{\prime }/\ell )z+U^{\prime }/{\ell }^2$. It would lie in ${\mathcal{O}}_L$, impossible because its $\omega$ coefficient in the integral basis is $1/\ell$. Bezout identity now expresses one as an integer combination of $d,T^{\prime },U^{\prime }/d$. Multiplying by $d$, the terms are $d^2$, $d{T}^{\prime }=d\theta +d\bar{\theta }$, and $U^{\prime }$, all in the product. Hence $d$ belongs to it, proving $\mathfrak{j}\bar{\mathfrak{j}}=(d)$.

The determinant of the lattice basis $sd,s(e+\omega )$ gives the ideal norm $N(\mathfrak{a})=s^{2}d$. ConsequentlyIn particular $⟨b,\alpha ⟩⟨b,\bar{\alpha }⟩$ is principal. This does not require the original $b$ to be nonzero or the ideal itself to be principal.