Quadratic extension

A quadratic extension is a field extension of degree two. It is normal because the other root of the minimal polynomial $T^2+bT+c$ of any non-base-field element is $-b-\alpha$ and lies in the same extension.

For a field of characteristic different from two, adjoining a square root of a nonsquare gives every quadratic extension. If two such extensions are isomorphic over $K$, write $\sqrt{a}=x+y\sqrt{b}$; the vanishing of its cross coefficient forces $x=0$, giving $a/b=y^2$. This explains why one subtracts the identity class when counting extensions from the square-class group.

For a p-adic field with odd residue characteristic, the square map is an isomorphism on $1+{\mathfrak{m}}_K$ by Hensel lemma. The parity of the valuation and the square class of the residue unit therefore determine the square-class group of a field. Its three nontrivial classes give the three quadratic extensions: one unramified extension and two totally ramified extensions.