Past exam of the number theory course of the University of Oxford / 2008 / B (Algebraic Number Theory)

For the basis $w_1,\dots ,w_d$, its discriminant isEquivalently it is the square of the determinant of the matrix of the $d$ embeddings applied to the basis vectors. It is nonzero because number fields are separable. An integral basis is a basis of the ring of integers as a free abelian group; in particular it is a rational basis of the field and expresses every algebraic integer uniquely with integer coefficients.

To prove existence, start with any rational basis and multiply each vector by a suitable nonzero integer to make it integral. This is possible by clearing coefficients in its monic rational minimal polynomial of an algebraic element and rescaling the variable. Let $M$ be the lattice spanned over $\mathbb{Z}$ by these integral vectors, and let $D\ne 0$ be its discriminant. For any algebraic integer $\alpha ={\sum }_j{c}_j{w}_j$, each trace $\mathrm{Tr}(\alpha w_i)$ is an integer. The resulting linear system has integral coefficient matrix with determinant $D$. Its adjugate matrix shows $c_j\in D^{-1}\mathbb{Z}$. ThusA subgroup of a finitely generated free abelian group is free and finitely generated. Here its rank is $d$, since it contains $M$ and is contained in a rank-$d$ lattice. Its free generators are the required integral basis.

For squarefree $d\ne 1$, the quadratic integral basis isThe source allows squarefree nonzero integers, so the degenerate value $d=1$ gives $K=\mathbb{Q}$ and basis $\{1\}$ instead of a two-element basis.

In the biquadratic field define the three automorphisms by changing respectively the sign of $\sqrt{r}$, the sign of $\sqrt{2}$, and both signs. Their actions areHence the three sums are $2a+2b\sqrt{2}$, $2a+2c\sqrt{r}$ and $2a+2d\sqrt{2r}$. If $\mu$ is integral, each sum is integral and lies in its displayed quadratic subfield. Their radicands are squarefree and respectively congruent to two, three and two modulo four. The quadratic basis formula therefore forces all their two coefficients to be integers, proving

The Dedekind factorization theorem says: if $K=\mathbb{Q}(\theta )$ with $\theta$ integral, minimal polynomial of an algebraic element $f\in \mathbb{Z}[X]$, and the rational prime $p$ does not divide $[{\mathcal{O}}_K:\mathbb{Z}[\theta ]]$, factor $\bar{f}={\prod }_i{\bar{f}}_i^{e_i}$ into distinct monic irreducibles over ${\mathbb{F}}_p$. Then the distinct prime ideals above $p$ are $P_i=(p,f_i(\theta ))$, with integer lifts $f_i$, andThe index condition is part of the theorem and must be checked before applying it at a ramified prime.

For this cubic, $X^3-6$ is Eisenstein and has discriminant $-972$. We first verify ${\mathcal{O}}_K=\mathbb{Z}[\theta ]$. The square of the index divides 972, so only two and three can divide the index. If either prime $p$ divided it, the finite quotient group would contain an element of order $p$, giving an integral element $(a+b\theta +c{\theta }^2)/p$ with digits $0\le a,b,c<p$, not all zero. Its field norm isFor $p=2$, the numerator has valuation zero if $a=1$, valuation one if $a=0,b=1$, and valuation two if $a=b=0,c=1$. For $p=3$ the same three cases, according to the first nonzero digit, give valuations zero, one and two. None gives an integer field norm after dividing by $p^3$, contradicting integrality. Thus the index is one.

Multiplication by $a+b\theta$ in the power basis, or the product over the three conjugates, gives $\boxed{N(a+b\theta )=a^3+6b^3}$. DefineReduction of the cubic gives $X^3$ at two and three, $(X-1)(X^2+X+1)$ at five, and $(X-3)(X-5)(X-6)$ at seven. The quadratic factor at five is irreducible since its discriminant is two, a nonsquare modulo five. HenceThe norms are respectively $2,3,5,25,7,7,7$. Norms and reduction of the elements at those primes giveFor example their absolute element field norms are $6,5,2,21,70$; each indicated prime divides the element by substitution in its residue field, and the product of the indicated ideal norms already equals that absolute field norm. Thus no additional factor or exponent is possible.

In the ideal of the specified quotient every prime exponent cancels:Equality with the unit ideal implies that both $\mu$ and its inverse are integral, so $\boxed{\mu \text{ is a unit}}$. For the real root, $1<\theta <2$. The numerator is negative and has absolute value less than two, while the denominator is greater than five. Thus $-2/5<\mu <0$, proving $\boxed{\mu \ne \pm 1}$. Its field norm is $-1$, consistent with the ideal calculation.

Choose a nonzero integral ideal $B$ whose class is $[A{]}^{-1}$; one can multiply the fractional inverse $A^{-1}$ by a suitable nonzero integer to obtain such a $B$. By the given bound choose $0\ne \beta \in B$ with $|N(\beta )|\le c_{K}N(B)$. Put $I_A=(\beta )B^{-1}$. Since $(\beta )\subseteq B$, multiplication by $B^{-1}$ makes $I_A$ an integral ideal. Its class is $[B{]}^{-1}=[A]$, and multiplicativity of ideal norms givesThis proves the class representative bound without accidentally constructing a representative of the inverse class instead.

To determine the Ideal class group of Q of square root minus thirty-four, write $\eta =\sqrt{-34}$. The given integral basis has discriminant $-136$, so the imaginary-quadratic bound is $4\sqrt{34}/\pi <8$. Every class therefore has a representative of ideal norm at most seven, and factoring such representatives shows that the ideal class group is generated by prime ideals of ideal norm at most seven.

Two ramifies: let $P_2=(2,\eta )$, with $P_2^2=(2)$. Three is inert because $X^2+34\equiv X^2+1$ is irreducible modulo three, so its prime ideal ideal norm is nine and supplies no small generator. At five and seven the roots are $\pm 1$, so the primes of ideal norm five and seven are conjugate pairs. Set $P_5=(5,\eta -1)$ and $P_7=(7,\eta +1)$. Their conjugates have inverse ideal classes. No new prime ideal has ideal norm four, since the only prime above two has residue degree one; six is not a prime power. Thus $[P_2],[P_5],[P_7]$ generate the ideal class group.

The element field norms $N(4+\eta )=50$ and $N(1+\eta )=35$, together with reduction at the split primes, giveThe ideal norm products verify both exponents. Consequently $[P_5{]}^2=[P_2]$ and $[P_7]=[P_5]$, so the whole group is generated by $[P_5]$ and its order divides four. The class $[P_2]$ is not trivial: a generator would be an element of the ring of integers $a+b\eta$ of field norm two, but $a^2+34b^2=2$ has no integer solution. Since $[P_2{]}^2=1$, its order is exactly two. Hence $[P_5]$ has order four and

For integral solutions of x squared minus two equals y cubed, the equation implies $y\ge -1$, so $y+2>0$. If $y$ were even, then $x$ would be even and $x^2-2$ would be two or six modulo eight, whereas $y^3$ would be zero modulo eight. Thus $y$ and $x$ are odd. Also $3\nmid x$: otherwise $x^2-2\equiv 7(\mathrm{mod}9)$, which is not a cubic residue modulo nine. Reducing modulo three then gives $y\equiv 2(\mathrm{mod}3)$. ConsequentlyPut $\eta =\sqrt{-6}$ and $\alpha =x+(y+1)\eta$. Its field norm is $(y+2{)}^3$. The principal ideals $(\alpha )$ and $(\bar{\alpha })$ are coprime. Indeed a common prime ideal has underlying rational prime $p$ dividing $y+2$. The displayed gcd excludes two and three, so both two and $\eta$ are invertible modulo that prime ideal. The difference $\alpha -\bar{\alpha }=2(y+1)\eta$ therefore implies $p\mid y+1$, contradicting $p\mid y+2$.

Their product is $(y+2{)}^3$, so unique factorization of ideals in a number field and coprimality imply $(\alpha )=A^3$ for an integral ideal $A$. In the given ideal class group of order two, $[A{]}^3=1$ implies $[A]=1$. Hence $A=(u+v\eta )$ with integers $u,v$. Equality of principal ideals gives $\alpha =\epsilon (u+v\eta {)}^3$. The only units are $\pm 1$, and both are cubes, so the sign can be absorbed into $u,v$. Taking norms, and using $y+2>0$, givesThe coefficient of $\eta$ gives $y+1=3u^{2}v-6v^3$. Eliminating $y$ with the field norm identity yieldsThe denominator is nonzero for integral $v$. Polynomial division makes the integrality obstruction especially clear:If $u$ is integral, the reciprocal must be an integer, forcing $3v-1=\pm 1$. The only integral possibility is $v=0$. Then $u^2=1$, the field norm gives $y=-1$, and the real coefficient in the cube gives $x=u^3=\pm 1$. Both pairs directly satisfy the original equation. Therefore all integral solutions are