Past exam of the rings and modules course of the University of Oxford / 2021 / 2 / d / Solution

Assume $H=\ker \psi$ is a finitely generated module. The restriction $q:H\to L$ is a surjective module homomorphism, so part (a)(i) makes $L$ a finitely generated module.

The free module $R^m$ has its finite standard basis of a module. Its quotient module $R^m/\mathrm{Im}q$ is therefore a finitely generated module by part (a)(i). Part (c) transfers this property to the isomorphic quotient module $\ker \varphi /L$. Finally apply part (a)(ii) to the submodule $L\subseteq \ker \varphi$. It follows thatMore concretely, take the images under $q$ of finitely many generators of $H$, and adjoin lifts in $\ker \varphi$ of finitely many generators of $\ker \varphi /L$. This finite list generates $\ker \varphi$. The argument shows why finite presentation of a module is independent of the chosen finite generating set of a module.