Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2025 / iii / Paper 136 / 1 / a / Solution

Suppose first that $L/K$ is a totally ramified extension of degree $n$, and let $\alpha$ be a uniformizer of $L$. If the valuation on $L$ is normalized by $v_L(\alpha )=1$, then $v_L(K^{\times })=n\mathbb{Z}$. The value group of $K(\alpha )$ already contains both $n\mathbb{Z}$ and $1$, so its ramification index over $K$ is at least $n$. Hence $[K(\alpha ):K]\ge n$, and therefore $L=K(\alpha )$.

Letbe the minimal polynomial of $\alpha$. Every conjugate of $\alpha$ has positive valuation, so each $a_i$ lies in the maximal ideal of ${\mathcal{O}}_K$. Moreoverwhich means $v_K(a_0)=1$. Thus $f$ is an Eisenstein polynomial.

Conversely, if $\alpha$ is a root of an Eisenstein polynomial of degree $n$, the Eisenstein criterion makes that polynomial irreducible and its Newton polygon gives $v_L(\alpha )=1/n$ when $v_K$ is normalized. Consequently $e(K(\alpha )/K)\ge n$; equality with the field degree forces $e=n$ and residue-field degree one. Thus $K(\alpha )/K$ is totally ramified.

Solved by gpt-5.6-sol high.