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Algebraic number theory studies integer factorization, divisibility, prime ideals, and units after extending the rational numbers to a number field. Its basic objects are a number field $K$ and its ring of integers ${\mathcal{O}}_K$: the counterparts of $\mathbb{Q}$ and $\mathbb{Z}$. The field norm turns multiplication in $K$ into multiplication of rational numbers, and takes algebraic integers to integers. These connections let linear algebra and Euclidean geometry answer arithmetic questions.^[ref]

A first example is $K=\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{2})$ with ring of integers $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{2}]$. The integer $7$ acquires the factorizationEach factor has field norm $7$. Neither is a unit, and each is an irreducible element: any factorization into two nonunits would factor the prime number $7$ into two integers of absolute value greater than one. Arithmetic in a larger ring thus reveals structure invisible in ordinary integer factorization.

There is also a complication: unique factorization of elements can fail, as in the failure of unique factorization in the ring of integers generated by square root of minus five. The general replacement is prime ideal factorization. The ideal class group measures the obstruction to making every ideal a principal ideal.

The historical motivation is visible in Richard Dedekind's original 1877 exposition: he begins with ordinary integer factorization, passes to Gaussian integers, and then uses a quadratic example to explain why ideals are needed. His later section establishes unique factorization of ideals in a number field. This is a direct record of the development of the theory, rather than a claim that all its ideas originated in one year.^[ref][ref]

For ${\alpha }^3=6$, the ring of integers is $\mathbb{Z}[\alpha ]$ and its field discriminant is $-972$. The Minkowski bound for ideal classes is $16\sqrt{3}/\pi <9$. Prime ideals of norm at most eight lie above $2,3,5,7$. The primes above two, three and the degree-one prime above five are generated by $\alpha -2$, $3+2\alpha +{\alpha }^2$ and $\alpha -1$, of norm magnitudes $2,3,5$. At seven the residue roots are $3,5,6$; the primes at roots six and three are generated by $\alpha +1$ and ${\alpha }^2+\alpha -5$, both of norm seven. Their product with the remaining prime is $(7)$, making that prime principal too. Every possible Minkowski representative is therefore principal.

A cyclotomic integer is an element of $\mathbb{Z}[{\zeta }_n]$, where ${\zeta }_n$ is a root of unity. For a primitive $n$-th root, this is the full ring of integers of the cyclotomic field $\mathbb{Q}({\zeta }_n)$.

Every degree-$n$ number field has a ring of integers that is a free abelian group of rank $n$. To prove this without assuming finite generation, scale a rational basis to algebraic integers ${\alpha }_1,\dots ,{\alpha }_n$ and set $M={\sum }_j\mathbb{Z}{\alpha }_j$. Their trace pairing has an invertible integer matrix $T$, since the trace form of a number field is nondegenerate. For $x\in {\mathcal{O}}_K$, all $\mathrm{Tr}(x{\alpha }_j)$ are integers. The adjugate matrix formula gives $M\subseteq {\mathcal{O}}_K\subseteq (\det T{)}^{-1}M$. The submodule theorem for free modules over a principal ideal domain makes the middle group free of rank $n$, and a group basis is an integral basis.

Put $\theta =\sqrt{-30}$. The ring of integers is $\mathbb{Z}[\theta ]$ and its discriminant is $-120$. The Minkowski bound for ideal classes $4\sqrt{30}/\pi <7$ shows that the ideal class group is generated by the classes of the ramified prime ideals $P_2=(2,\theta )$, $P_3=(3,\theta )$ and $P_5=(5,\theta )$. There is no additional prime ideal of norm four because two ramifies with residue degree one. The relations $P_i^2=(i)$ and $(\theta )=P_2{P}_3{P}_5$ show that these classes have order dividing two and their product is one. None is a principal ideal: the element field norm $a^2+30b^2$ cannot equal two, three or five. Thus there are exactly four classes, with the displayed group structure. This also supplies the class-number input for the Hilbert class field of Q of square root minus thirty.

Write $\eta =\sqrt{-34}$. The ring of integers is $\mathbb{Z}[\eta ]$ with discriminant $-136$. The Minkowski bound for ideal classes is less than eight, so classes of prime ideals of norm at most seven generate the ideal class group. These are the ramified prime $P_2=(2,\eta )$ and conjugate pairs at five and seven; three is inert with prime norm nine. Set $P_5=(5,\eta -1)$ and $P_7=(7,\eta +1)$. Conjugate prime classes are inverse, so these three classes suffice.

The field norm identities $N(4+\eta )=50$ and $N(1+\eta )=35$ give $(4+\eta )=P_2{P}_5^2$ and $(1+\eta )={\bar{P}}_5{P}_7$, by reduction modulo the indicated primes and equality of norms. Thus $[P_5{]}^2=[P_2]$ and $[P_7]=[P_5]$. Since $P_2^2=(2)$ but $a^2+34b^2=2$ has no integer solution, $[P_2]$ has order two. Therefore $[P_5]$ has order four and generates the entire group, proving the displayed isomorphism.

The ring of integers is $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{35}]$ and the field discriminant is $140$. The Minkowski bound for ideal classes is $\sqrt{35}<6$. At three the defining polynomial is irreducible, so the only prime ideals needed to generate the ideal class group are $P_2=(2,\sqrt{35}-1)$ and $P_5=(5,\sqrt{35})$, of ideal norms two and five. They satisfy $P_2^2=(2)$, $P_5^2=(5)$ and $P_2{P}_5=(5+\sqrt{35})$, so one class of order of a group element at most two generates. The field norm equation $a^2-35b^2=\pm 2$ is impossible modulo five, proving $P_2$ is not a principal ideal. Hence the ideal class group has exactly two elements.

For a nonzero squarefree integer $d\equiv 3(\mathrm{mod}4)$, set $\theta =\sqrt[4]{d}$. The power basis $1,\theta ,{\theta }^2,{\theta }^3$ is an integral basis, with discriminant $-256d^3$. The polynomial is Eisenstein at every prime dividing $d$; for $d=-1$, shift $X^4+1$ by one to obtain an Eisenstein polynomial at two. The discriminant-index formula for an integral lattice restricts any power-basis index prime to $2d$. An Eisenstein prime cannot divide the index: the norm of $r{\theta }^i/p$ has valuation $i-4<0$ for $p\nmid r$ and $i<4$, while ${\theta }^4/p$ is integral; multiplying a putative denominator-$p$ integral element successively by powers of $\theta$ forces each numerator coefficient divisible by $p$.

It remains to exclude two. A putative integral element $(a+b\theta +c{\theta }^2+e{\theta }^3)/2$ has relative norm to $\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{d})$ with coefficientsThe quadratic field has ring of integers $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{d}]$, so both coefficients are integers. The first congruence forces $a,c$ to have the same parity. If they are odd, the second requires $b^2+3e^2\equiv 2(\mathrm{mod}4)$, impossible. If they are even, the second forces $b,e$ to have the same parity and the first forces $be$ even, so both are even. Thus no nontrivial denominator-two element exists, proving index one.

The power basis $1,\theta ,{\theta }^2$ is an integral basis. The defining polynomial is irreducible by Eisenstein's criterion at two and its discriminant is $-140$. The discriminant-index formula for an integral lattice restricts its index in the ring of integers to one or two. An index of two would supply an algebraic integer $\eta =(a+b\theta +c{\theta }^2)/2$ with $a,b,c\in \{0,1\}$ not all zero. Its field trace $(3a-4c)/2$ forces $a=0$. If $b=0$ this gives ${\theta }^2/2$ directly; if $b=1$, the identity $\theta \eta ={\theta }^2/2-c\theta -c$ gives the same integrality. But ${\theta }^2/2=-1-{\theta }^{-1}$, while $N({\theta }^{-1})=-1/2$ excludes integrality by the field norm. Thus the index is one, proving the claim.

An integral domain is a nonzero commutative ring without zero divisors. Equivalently, a product of two nonzero elements is always nonzero. The zero ring is excluded, and $\mathbb{Z}/6\mathbb{Z}$ fails because $2\cdot 3=0$. Every field is an integral domain, but the integers show that the converse fails: $2$ has no multiplicative inverse in $\mathbb{Z}$. See MIT's Basic Properties of Rings, definitions 15.9–15.10 and example 15.11.

The practical benefit is multiplicative cancellation. In the integers, $2x=6$ has at most one solution and indeed $x=3$ works. Yet $2x=1$ has no integer solution. Thus multiplicative cancellation guarantees uniqueness when a solution exists; it does not guarantee division by every nonzero element. Passing to the fraction field $\mathbb{Q}$ supplies the missing solution $1/2$.

The polynomial ring $\mathbb{Z}[X]$ is also an integral domain. For example, the product of $2X+1$ and $3X-4$ has leading coefficient $6$ and cannot vanish. Generally the leading coefficient of a product is the product of the two leading coefficients; an integral domain prevents that coefficient from vanishing. This connects integer arithmetic to polynomial arithmetic through one reusable principle.

Historically, this connection grew far beyond elementary examples. Keith Conrad identifies the ring of integers of a number field and a ring of polynomial functions on a smooth plane curve as early important examples of Dedekind domains. This shared structure connects number theory with algebraic geometry; see Conrad's Ideal Factorization, section 6.

An integral ideal is a fractional ideal of an integral domain $A$ that is contained in $A$. For a number field, take $A$ to be its ring of integers ${\mathcal{O}}_K$.

In the ring of integers $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{-6}]$, which has class number two and units $\pm 1$, write $\alpha =x+(y+1)\sqrt{-6}$. Its norm is $(y+2{)}^3$. Parity modulo eight and cubic residues modulo nine show that $y$ is odd and $3$ does not divide $y+2$, so $\gcd (y+2,6)=1$. The ideals of $\alpha$ and its conjugate are coprime: a common prime cannot lie above two or three by their norms; at any other prime their difference forces divisibility of $y+1$, contradicting divisibility of $y+2$.

Unique factorization of ideals gives $(\alpha )=A^3$. The class group of order two forces $A$ principal, and its unit factor can be absorbed into a cube. Hence $\alpha =(u+v\sqrt{-6}{)}^3$ with integers $u,v$, and $u^2+6v^2=y+2$. Comparing coefficients and eliminating $y$ yieldsIntegrality requires $3v-1=\pm 1$, so $v=0$ is the only integral possibility. Then $u=\pm 1$, $y=-1$, and $x=\pm 1$. Direct substitution verifies both solutions. The class-group step is what permits extracting a cube of an element from a cube of an ideal despite failure of unique factorization of elements.

The equation has no integer solutions. Work in the ring of integers $\mathbb{Z}[\theta ]$ for $\theta =\sqrt{-30}$. If a rational prime divides both $y$ and thirty, it divides $x$, and the valuation of $x^2+30$ is one because thirty is squarefree, contradicting the valuation of a cube. Thus $\gcd (y,30)=1$. The two principal ideals $(x+\theta ),(x-\theta )$ are coprime: any common prime ideal lies above a prime dividing both $N(2\theta )=120$ and $y$. Their product is $(y{)}^3$, so unique prime ideal factorization gives $(x+\theta )=A^3$. The Ideal class group of Q of square root minus thirty has exponent two, forcing $A$ to be principal. The only units are $\pm 1$ and both are cubes, so $x+\theta =(a+b\theta {)}^3$ for integers $a,b$. Comparison of the coefficient of $\theta$ gives $1=3b(a^2-10b^2)$, impossible modulo three.

The ring of integers $\mathbb{Z}[(1+\sqrt{-7})/2]$ is a Euclidean domain for $N(z)=z\overline{z}$. In its lattice choose the nearest row, whose imaginary-coordinate error is at most $\sqrt{7}/4$, then the nearest point on that row, whose real-coordinate error is at most $1/2$. Every complex number is thus within squared distance $11/16<1$ of a lattice point, giving Euclidean division. The suborder $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{-7}]$ has the nonprincipal ideal $(2,1+\sqrt{-7})$ and consequently is not a Euclidean domain for any Euclidean function.

Again put $\alpha =\sqrt{m_1}$ and $\beta =\sqrt{m_2}$. The ring of integers of each of the three quadratic subfields has integral basis $1,\alpha$, $1,\beta$, or $1,\alpha \beta$, respectively: their square-free radicands are respectively congruent to $3,2,2$ modulo four. The field traces of the algebraic integer $\gamma$ to those subfields areThey are algebraic integers, so comparison with each integral basis givesThis use of all three subfields is needed to control $d$ as well as the other coefficients.

The field norm to $\mathbb{Q}(\alpha )$ isIts two coefficients must be integers. The second condition says $ab$ is even, since $m_2$ is even. Reducing the numerator of the first coefficient modulo four givesReduction modulo two first gives $a\equiv b(\mathrm{mod}2)$. Since $ab$ is even, both $a$ and $b$ are even. The same congruence now gives $c^2+d^2\equiv 0(\mathrm{mod}2)$, or $c\equiv d(\mathrm{mod}2)$. Therefore every algebraic integer has the formwith four integer coefficients.

For the converse, $1,\alpha ,\beta$ are algebraic integers, andHere $4\mid 1+m_1$ and $2\mid m_2$, so both coefficients are integers. The monic polynomial $X^2-w^2$ and integral dependence is transitive show that $w$ is an algebraic integer. The four displayed generators are rationally linearly independent, since their coefficient matrix in $1,\alpha ,\beta ,\alpha \beta$ has determinant $1/2$. Hence the integral basis for coprime biquadratic radicands congruent to three and two isIn this formula $\sqrt{m_1{m}_2}$ denotes the product $\alpha \beta$ of the chosen square roots; this convention also handles negative radicands.

Let $\alpha =\sqrt[3]{3}$. The polynomial $X^3-3$ is Eisenstein at three, so the number field has degree of a field extension three. Use the permitted ring of integers $R=\mathbb{Z}[\alpha ]$, whose integral basis is $1,\alpha ,{\alpha }^2$. The field traces $\mathrm{Tr}(1)=3$, $\mathrm{Tr}(\alpha )=\mathrm{Tr}({\alpha }^2)=0$, $\mathrm{Tr}({\alpha }^3)=9$, and $\mathrm{Tr}({\alpha }^4)=0$ giveThere is one real field embedding and one conjugate pair of nonreal field embeddings. The Minkowski bound for ideal classes is thereforeEvery ideal class has an integral ideal representative of ideal norm at most four, so it is enough to show that every prime ideal of ideal norm at most four is a principal ideal.

Modulo two,where the quadratic factor is an irreducible polynomial over the finite field ${\mathbb{F}}_2$. The Dedekind factorization theorem givesNowThus $(\alpha -1)=P_2$, by containment and equality of ideal norms, and cancellation in the second identity gives $({\alpha }^2+\alpha +1)=Q_2$. This explicitly handles the prime ideal of ideal norm four, as well as the one of ideal norm two.

Modulo three the polynomial is $X^3$, soThese exhaust the prime ideals of ideal norm at most four. Every bounded representative factors into the listed principal ideals, and hence is a principal ideal. Therefore the Class group of Q of cube root of three is

Let $G=\mathrm{Gal}(K/k)$. Each field automorphism preserves the ring of integers and the base prime ideal, so it permutes the prime ideals above $\mathfrak{p}$. Suppose there were more than one orbit, and fix one orbit $\mathcal{C}$. By the Chinese remainder theorem for ideals, choose $a\in {\mathcal{O}}_K$ such thatThe field norm $N_{K/k}(a)={\prod }_{\sigma \in G}\sigma (a)$ lies in ${\mathcal{O}}_k$. It lies in every prime ideal of $\mathcal{C}$, since for a fixed member each conjugate of $a$ is zero modulo that member. Thus its contraction lies in $\mathfrak{p}$. On the other hand, for $\mathfrak{Q}$ outside $\mathcal{C}$, every ${\sigma }^{-1}(\mathfrak{Q})$ is also outside it, so every $\sigma (a)$ equals one modulo $\mathfrak{Q}$. The product is consequently one modulo $\mathfrak{Q}$. This contradicts its membership in $\mathfrak{p}{\mathcal{O}}_K\subseteq \mathfrak{Q}$. Therefore the Galois action on the primes above $\mathfrak{p}$ is transitive. The normal extension of number fields is separable, so its conjugates are exactly the elements of $G$ used in the product.

Use $R={\mathcal{O}}_k$, $S={\mathcal{O}}_L$, $T={\mathcal{O}}_K$, and denote their relative codifferents by $C_{L/k}$, $C_{K/L}$ and $C_{K/k}$. Transitivity of the field trace givesFor the forward direction, testing an element $t\in T$ against every $s\in S$ is legitimate because $st\in T$. For the reverse direction, take $s=1$ and use trace transitivity.

Localize at a nonzero base prime ideal. The intermediate ring is semilocal Dedekind domain, so its invertible fractional ideal $C_{L/k}$ is principal there, say $C_{L/k}=d^{-1}S$ locally. This principality follows by choosing, with the Chinese remainder theorem for ideals, a generator at each of its finitely many maximal ideals. The displayed criterion now becomesInvert these fractional ideals using Solution 1. Equality at every base localization gives the global different in a tower formulaThe second factor is extended to the upper ring of integers; that extension is implicit in the printed formula. At a local prime the exponents consequently satisfy $d(K/k)=d(K/L)+e(K/L)d(L/k)$.

Let ${\zeta }_n$ be a primitive nth root of unity. The cyclotomic polynomial isInduction on $n$ shows that ${\Phi }_n$ is monic with integer coefficients. Here is the essential irreducibility of cyclotomic polynomials argument. Let $f$ be the minimal polynomial of ${\zeta }_n$ and let $\ell \nmid n$ be a prime. If ${\zeta }_n^{\ell }$ had a different monic irreducible polynomial $g$, then $f\mid g(X^{\ell })$. Reducing modulo $\ell$ gives $\bar{f}\mid {\bar{g}}^{\ell }$, so $\bar{f}$ and $\bar{g}$ have a common factor. As $fg\mid {\Phi }_n$, this would give a repeated factor of $X^n-1$ modulo $\ell$, impossible because its derivative is $n{X}^{n-1}$. Thus ${\zeta }_n^{\ell }$ is conjugate to ${\zeta }_n$. Every positive integer prime to $n$ is a product of such primes, so all primitive nth roots of unity are conjugate. ConsequentlyIn particular the cyclotomic field is an abelian extension. Complex conjugation corresponds to $-1$; for $n>2$ its fixed field is $\mathbb{Q}({\zeta }_n+{\zeta }_n^{-1})$, the maximal real subfield, of degree $\phi (n)/2$.

The ring of integers is $\mathbb{Z}[{\zeta }_n]$. One way to see that there is no missing index is to work at each prime $p$. Write $n=p^{a}m$ with $p\nmid m$. The prime-to-$p$ roots of unity have separable reduction; their local factors generate unramified extensions with full integer rings. Over each such factor, adjoining ${\zeta }_{p^a}$ is generated by the Eisenstein polynomial ${\Phi }_{p^a}(1+T)$, with uniformizer ${\zeta }_{p^a}-1$, and hence gives the full integer ring of that totally ramified factor. The coprimality of $p^a$ and $m$ means that ${\zeta }_n$ generates both sets of roots of unity. Thus ${\mathbb{Z}}_p[{\zeta }_n]$ is maximal at every $p$, proving the integral assertion.

The same local description computes ramification and splitting. For $p\nmid n$, the ramification index is one, the residue degree is the multiplicative order of $p$ modulo $n$, and there are $\phi (n)/f$ primes above $p$. If $p\mid n$, put $m=n/p^a$; thenwhere ${\mathrm{ord}}_1(p)=1$. Indeed, the prime-to-$p$ part is unramified, and the $p$-power part is totally ramified by the preceding Eisenstein polynomial. Notice the exception $p=2,a=1$: its ramification index is one, consistently with $\mathbb{Q}({\zeta }_{2m})=\mathbb{Q}({\zeta }_m)$ for odd $m$. Thus finite ramification occurs only at the indicated conductor primes, with that exception.

We now prove cyclotomic Artin reciprocity over the rational numbers, using arithmetic Frobenius automorphisms. If $\ell \nmid n$ and $\mathfrak{L}$ lies over $\ell$, then Frobenius sends the reduction of ${\zeta }_n$ to its $\ell$th power. Distinct nth roots of unity remain distinct modulo $\mathfrak{L}$, since $X^n-1$ has separable reduction. Hence the Artin symbol is exactlyExtend multiplicatively to the group $I(n)$ of rational fractional ideals prime to $n$. Such an ideal has a unique positive rational generator $q$ whose numerator and denominator are prime to $n$. The formula isEvery unit residue modulo $n$ has a positive integer representative prime to $n$, so this Artin map is surjective. Its kernel is precisely the subgroup $P_{n\infty }$ generated by positive $q\equiv 1(\mathrm{mod}n)$. ThereforeThis proves the Artin reciprocity law for this extension, including its principal-ray kernel. The infinite component of the modulus records positivity and therefore the possible action of complex conjugation.

A modulus of a number field is $\mathfrak{m}={\mathfrak{m}}_0{\mathfrak{m}}_{\infty }$, with ${\mathfrak{m}}_0$ a nonzero integral ideal and ${\mathfrak{m}}_{\infty }$ a subset of the real places. Let $I_{\mathfrak{m}}$ be the group of fractional ideals prime to ${\mathfrak{m}}_0$, and let $P_{\mathfrak{m}}$ consist of principal ideals $(a)$ with $a\equiv 1$ at each prime power in ${\mathfrak{m}}_0$ and $a>0$ at each selected real place. The ray class group isThe ray class field $K_{\mathfrak{m}}$ is the finite abelian extension for which the Artin map has kernel $P_{\mathfrak{m}}$ and induces an isomorphism ${\mathrm{Cl}}_{\mathfrak{m}}(K)\cong \mathrm{Gal}(K_{\mathfrak{m}}/K)$. Equivalently it is the maximal abelian extension whose conductor divides $\mathfrak{m}$.

To compute its order use the ray class exact sequence, including signatures:The middle map lifts a residue and sign tuple to an element of $K$ by weak approximation theorem, then takes its principal ideal as a ray class. Different lifts differ by a principal ray factor. Its kernel consists exactly of tuples represented by global units. Every ordinary ideal class has a representative prime to the finite modulus, again by weak approximation theorem; this gives surjectivity of the last map. If $U_{\mathfrak{m}}$ denotes the ray units, the kernel of the unit map is $U_{\mathfrak{m}}$. The Chinese remainder theorem and counting units in each prime-power quotient give the ray class number formula

First take $K=\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{-3})$. Its ring of integers is $\mathbb{Z}[\omega ]$, where $\omega =(-1+\sqrt{-3})/2$ and ${\omega }^2+\omega +1=0$. The Minkowski bound for ideal classes is $(2/\pi )\sqrt{3}<2$, so every ideal class has a representative of norm one and $h_K=1$. Its units are the six roots of unity. Modulo seven, the polynomial $X^2+X+1$ has distinct roots $2,4$, and thereforeThe unit group of this quotient has order $36$. The unit $1+\omega$ maps to $(3,5)$, which has order six; consequently unit reduction is injective and $U_{(7)}=\{1\}$. The ray class number formula gives $36/6=6$.

We also identify the quotient explicitly. Conjugation interchanges the two factors, so the residue norm is $(x,y)\mapsto xy$. Its kernel has order six and equals the image of the six units, since $3\cdot 5=1(\mathrm{mod}7)$. HenceThe field $M=K({\zeta }_7)=\mathbb{Q}({\zeta }_{21})$ has degree six over $K$, since the degrees over $\mathbb{Q}$ are twelve and two. It is unramified outside seven by the cyclotomic computation and the base-change argument above. At primes over seven, $K$ has completion ${\mathbb{Q}}_7$, and $M/K$ is the tame degree-six cyclotomic extension; its conductor exponent is one. Its relative arithmetic Artin symbol at an ideal $\mathfrak{a}$ prime to seven acts byIf $\mathfrak{a}=(a)$ with $a\equiv 1(\mathrm{mod}7{\mathcal{O}}_K)$, then $N_{K/\mathbb{Q}}(a)\equiv 1(\mathrm{mod}7)$. Thus the Artin map kills the principal ray subgroup. It factors through the order-six ray class group; the residue norm quotient computed above shows that it is onto the degree-six Galois group, so the fields coincide. This proves the explicit ray class field of Q of square root minus three modulo seven:

Now take $K=\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{-6})$, and write $s=\sqrt{-6}$. Its ring of integers is $\mathbb{Z}[s]$, its discriminant is $-24$, and its units are $\pm 1$. The quotient by $(s)$ iswhose two units are both images of $\pm 1$. The ray class exact sequence therefore gives ${\mathrm{Cl}}_{(s)}(K)\cong \mathrm{Cl}(K)$.

For its class number, the Minkowski bound for ideal classes is $(2/\pi )\sqrt{24}<4$, so each ideal class contains an integral ideal of norm at most three. The primes of norms two and three areThese are the only nontrivial possibilities within the bound, and their ideal classes coincide and have order at most two. The ideal ${\mathfrak{p}}_2$ is not principal: its being principal would give an integer solution to $x^2+6y^2=2$, which is impossible. Thus $h_K=2$, the ideal class group is $C_2$, and the ray field is the Hilbert class field.

We verify its actual identity rather than stopping at the degree. PutThe two quadratic fields $\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{2})$ and $\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{-3})$ are distinct, so $[H:\mathbb{Q}]=4$ and $[H:K]=2$. The integral elements $1,\sqrt{2},b,\sqrt{2}b$ are a rational basis. Their trace matrix is the Kronecker product of the two quadratic trace matrices, with discriminants $8$ and $-3$. Its determinant is therefore $8^2(-3{)}^2=576$. The discriminant-index formula for an integral lattice shows that the field discriminant divides $576$. On the other hand the relative discriminant ideal formula givesThe norm on the right is a positive integer, so equality is forced. Thus the relative discriminant ideal is the unit ideal, and $H/K$ is unramified at every finite prime. There are no real places of $K$. The extension is quadratic and therefore Abelian; its degree equals $h_K$, identifying it with the Hilbert class field of Q of square root minus six. Hence the ray class field of Q of square root minus six modulo square root minus six is