Past exam of the number theory course of the University of Oxford / 2007 / B

For the $n$ distinct complex embeddings ${\sigma }_1,\dots ,{\sigma }_n$ of the number field, define the discriminant of elements of a number field byThe equality follows by multiplying the transpose of the embedding matrix by itself. Each field trace is rational: it is also the trace of the rational matrix of multiplication by $w_i{w}_j$ on $K$. Thus the determinant lies in $\mathbb{Q}$. If the $w_i$ are algebraic integers, the products and their conjugates are algebraic integers, and so are their sums. A rational algebraic integer is an integer, hence all trace entries and their determinant are integers.

Write $u_j={\sum }_i{a}_{ij}{v}_i$. The inclusion of the generated abelian groups makes $A=(a_{ij})$ an integer matrix. Its embedding matrix is the embedding matrix of the $v_i$ multiplied by $A$. Taking squared determinants givesFor independent algebraic integers $v_i$, choose an integral basis ${\omega }_i$ of ${\mathcal{O}}_K$. The same formula gives $D(v)=[{\mathcal{O}}_K:{\sum }_i\mathbb{Z}{v}_i{]}^{2}D(\omega )$. If $D(v)$ is nonzero and a square-free integer, the integer index must be one, proving that the $v_i$ form an integral basis.

Now put $\beta =3\alpha +4$. Since $\mathbb{Q}(\beta )=\mathbb{Q}(\alpha )$ has degree three, the monic polynomialis its minimal polynomial of an algebraic element. The field norm is the negative of its constant term:For the discriminant calculation, $f^{\prime }(\alpha )=3{\alpha }^2+4\alpha$. In the basis $1,\alpha ,{\alpha }^2$, using ${\alpha }^3=-2{\alpha }^2-1$, multiplication by this element has matrixThus the given derivative-norm formula gives $D(1,\alpha ,{\alpha }^2)=-59$. Since $\alpha$ satisfies a monic polynomial with integer coefficients, $1,\alpha ,{\alpha }^2$ are algebraic integers; the fact that a squarefree discriminant certifies an integral basis proves

Dedekind factorization theorem states that if $K=\mathbb{Q}(\theta )$ with integral $\theta$ and $p$ does not divide $[{\mathcal{O}}_K:\mathbb{Z}[\theta ]]$, then a factorization $\overline{f}={\prod }_i{\overline{f}}_i^{e_i}$ of its minimal polynomial of an algebraic element into distinct monic irreducible polynomials over ${\mathbb{F}}_p$ givesThe factors are distinct prime ideals; the residue degrees and ramification indices satisfy ${\sum }_i{e}_i\mathrm{deg}{f}_i=[K:\mathbb{Q}]$. Unique prime ideal factorization holds in the ring of integers.

For a square-free integer $d\equiv 1(\mathrm{mod}4)$, ${\mathcal{O}}_K=\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{-d}]$, so the index condition is automatic. If $p_i\mid d$, the polynomial $X^2+d$ reduces to $X^2$ modulo $p_i$. HenceTherefore $d{\mathcal{O}}_K=({\prod }_i{P}_i{)}^2=(\sqrt{-d}{)}^2$. By unique prime ideal factorization, ${\prod }_i{P}_i=(\sqrt{-d})$.

Let $S$ be a nonempty proper subset and put $m={\prod }_{i\in S}{p}_i$. For $d>1$, $1<m<d$ and $m$ is a square-free integer. If ${\prod }_{i\in S}{P}_i=(u+v\sqrt{-d})$, its ideal norm givesThe inequality $m<d$ forces $v=0$, leaving $m=u^2$, impossible for a square-free integer greater than one. Thus every such subproduct is nonprincipal.

These are ramified prime classes for discriminant minus four d. The ideal classes $[P_i]$ have order dividing two. Their product is the identity, and the preceding proof rules out every other nonempty subset relation. The homomorphism ${\mathbb{F}}_2^k\to \mathrm{Cl}(K)$ defined by these classes consequently has kernel exactly $\{0,(1,\dots ,1)\}$. Its image is thereforeThe boundary case $d=1$ has $k=0$ and makes the printed exponent $k-1$ meaningless; its field is $\mathbb{Q}(i)$ with trivial ideal class group. The subgroup statement is understood for $d>1$, while the prime-factor and proper-subset statements are empty for $d=1$.

Minkowski convex body theorem states that a centrally symmetric convex measurable subset of ${\mathbb{R}}^n$ with volume greater than $2^n$ times the covolume of a full Euclidean lattice contains a nonzero lattice point. The equivalent closed-boundary form follows by compactness for compact convex bodies.

The set $S_t$ is centrally symmetric. It is convex because for $0\le \lambda \le 1$, the triangle inequality gives $\Vert \lambda u+(1-\lambda )v{\Vert }_1\le \lambda \Vert u{\Vert }_1+(1-\lambda )\Vert v{\Vert }_1\le t$. It is a diamond of area $2t^2$. For the embedded nonzero integral ideal $I$, the given covolume is $2N(I)\sqrt{d}$. Hence Minkowski convex body theorem applies whenFor the resulting nonzero $\alpha \in I$, write $x={\sigma }_1(\alpha )$, $y={\sigma }_2(\alpha )$. ThenDecrease $t$ to $2\sqrt{N(I)\sqrt{d}}$. A fixed slightly larger diamond contains only finitely many lattice points, so one nonzero $\alpha$ recurs along a sequence of such $t$ values. Passing to the limit provesGiven a target ideal class $C$, choose an integral ideal $I$ in $C^{-1}$. Since $\alpha \in I$, the ideal $J=(\alpha )I^{-1}$ is integral, belongs to $C$, and has ideal normFor $K=\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{14})$, every ideal class thus has an integral representative of norm at most $\sqrt{14}<4$. The only possibilities are norms one, two or three. The prime two ramifies, giving the unique ideal of norm two $P_2=(2,\sqrt{14})$. The element $4+\sqrt{14}$ has field norm $16-14=2$, so $(4+\sqrt{14})=P_2$, making it principal. The prime three is inert because $X^2-14\equiv X^2+1(\mathrm{mod}3)$ is an irreducible polynomial; its prime ideal has norm nine, so there is no ideal of norm three. Every possible small representative is principal, proving class number one for Q square root of fourteen. Therefore

Work in ${\mathcal{O}}_K=\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{-d}]$, since $d\equiv 2(\mathrm{mod}4)$. First $x$ must be odd: if it were even, coprimality would make $a$ odd, so $x^2+a^{2}d\equiv 2(\mathrm{mod}4)$, which cannot be an odd power $y^p$ for $p\ge 3$. Thus $y$ is odd too. Also no odd prime $\ell$ can divide both $x$ and $d$. Such a prime does not divide $a$, and square-freeness of $d$ gives $v_{\ell }(x^2+a^{2}d)=1$, whereas $v_{\ell }(y^p)$ is divisible by $p$. Hence $\gcd (x,d)=1$.

Put $\alpha =x+a\sqrt{-d}$. Suppose a prime ideal $P$ divides both $(\alpha )$ and $(\overline{\alpha })$, and let $\ell$ be the rational prime below it. It then contains $2x$ and $2a\sqrt{-d}$. The case $\ell =2$ is impossible because $N((\alpha ))=y^p$ is odd. If $\ell$ is odd, the first inclusion gives $\ell \mid x$, and $\gcd (a,x)=1$ makes $a$ nonzero in the residue field. The second inclusion therefore gives $\sqrt{-d}\in P$, so $\ell \mid d$, contradicting the previous paragraph. Thus $(\alpha )$ and $(\overline{\alpha })$ are coprime ideals. In particular they generate the unit ideal, the precise meaning of coprimality here; no unique factorization of elements is assumed.

Their product is $(y{)}^p$. Unique prime ideal factorization and disjoint prime support imply $(\alpha )=A^p$ for an integral ideal $A$. In the ideal class group, $[A{]}^p=1$. Since $p$ does not divide the class number, Lagrange's theorem forces $[A]=1$. Write $A=(u+v\sqrt{-d})$. Equality of the principal ideals gives $\alpha =\epsilon (u+v\sqrt{-d}{)}^p$. The only units are $\pm 1$, since a unit satisfies $u^2+d{v}^2=1$ and $d\ge 2$. Both signs are $p$th powers for odd $p$, so they can be absorbed into the generator:Apply the class-number obstruction from a ramified odd exponent. For the equation with $a=1$ and $p\mid d$, compare the coefficients of $\sqrt{-d}$ in this identity. The coefficient on the right isIts $j=1$ term is divisible by $p$, and every $j\ge 3$ term contains a factor $d$, so the whole coefficient is divisible by $p$. The coefficient on the left is one, a contradiction. Thus there are no positive integer solutions under the stated class-number and divisibility assumptions.

Finally,The integer $174=2\cdot 3\cdot 29$ is square-free, is two modulo four, and is divisible by three. If its imaginary quadratic class number were not divisible by three, the preceding result with $p=3$ would prohibit this solution. Consequently