Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2012 iii Paper 13 5 i Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-07
For a smooth projective curve , let be its geometric genus, let be a canonical divisor, and write for the dimension of a vector space of the Riemann-Roch space. The Riemann-Roch theorem saysfor every divisor on an algebraic curve on .
Here is the cohomological proof of Riemann-Roch for curves. At a closed point , the local ring is a discrete valuation ring. A local uniformizer shows that increasing the allowed pole order by one gives the short exact sequence of sheavesThe last term is a length-one skyscraper sheaf; its precise identification with is noncanonical, but its sheaf cohomology has and . All the relevant groups of sheaf cohomology are finite-dimensional because is a projective variety, and coherent sheaf cohomology above degree one vanishes on a algebraic curve. The long exact sequence in sheaf cohomology therefore givesSince is an algebraically closed field, every closed point has degree one. Iterating this identity for both positive and negative coefficients of provesEvery global regular function on a projective variety which is an irreducible variety is constant; hence and .
Finally apply Serre duality for a smooth projective curve:Taking dimensions of a vector space and inserting this in the Euler characteristic of a coherent sheaf identity proves the displayed Riemann-Roch theorem. The substantial inputs from sheaf cohomology are finiteness and vanishing for coherent sheaves on a projective curve, and Serre duality; the change of Euler characteristic of a coherent sheaf is proved directly by the point exact sequence. In particular the argument handles negative as well as effective divisors on an algebraic curve.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2012 iii Paper 22 1 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-07
The holomorphic normal bundle is the quotient , of rank . The tangent sequence is a short exact sequence of holomorphic vector bundles:Taking determinant line bundles gives . Dualizing and rearranging proves adjunction for a smooth submanifold:The determinant identity follows locally by adjoining lifts of a quotient frame to a subbundle frame; changing the lifts adds only off-diagonal blocks, so does not change the determinant.
For a smooth divisor, choose reduced local defining functions , with and holomorphic and nowhere zero. The holomorphic line bundle associated to a divisor has local frames , with . The products define its canonical section vanishing on . Along ,Thus patches to a map , whose kernel is and which is surjective because each reduced defining function has nonzero differential there. Hence . This is the normal bundle of a smooth analytic hypersurface. The divisor construction uses a closed hypersurface: an arbitrary nonclosed embedded hypersurface need not be a divisor. For example, a punctured line in cannot be the support of a divisor, since its missing limit point would also lie in every local holomorphic zero set containing that line.
Let be the section of defining . The intended hypothesis is that it is a regular zero locus: has rank on . In a local trivialization, differentiation of the component functions definesThis is intrinsic: differentiating a change-of-frame matrix introduces terms multiplied by , which vanish on . Its kernel is , so it induces an isomorphism of holomorphic normal bundles. ConsequentlyThis is the normal bundle of a regular zero locus. Here .
Regularity is essential if “vanishing” is read only as equality of underlying sets. On , the section of vanishes set-theoretically on a smooth line . Its derivative vanishes on , andThus smoothness of the underlying zero set alone does not establish the claimed normal-bundle isomorphism. The preceding proof applies when the equations define the reduced smooth submanifold, equivalently are transverse to zero.
For Complex projective space, put . At a line , the tangent space is . Quotienting by its scalar maps into yields the Euler sequenceIts determinant gives . For a smooth complete intersection defined regularly by the homogeneous equations, apply the normal-bundle result to :This is the canonical bundle of a regular projective complete intersection. The same regularity qualification is needed here: the squared-line example would otherwise predict for its canonical bundle, whereas the line has .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2012 iii Paper 25 8 b Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-07
In an abelian category, for set and . The canonical map from coimage to image is an isomorphism. Thus the image factorization in an abelian category isunique up to a unique compatible isomorphism.
The short five lemma states that in a commuting diagram of short exact sequences and in an abelian category, if the vertical maps and are isomorphisms, then so is .
For the Five lemma, consider commuting exact rowswith vertical maps . We prove the usual stronger version: epic, and invertible, and monic imply that is invertible. In particular the conclusion holds if all four outer vertical maps are isomorphisms.
Put and , and define similarly. Exactness gives short exact sequencesThe functoriality of abelian image factorization supplies their vertical outer maps. We show that both are isomorphisms.
First, and : exactness at identifies with , and the image-coimage isomorphism for gives the claimed cokernel. Write and for these categorical cokernels. To construct an inverse to the induced map , observeCancellation of the epimorphism gives , so factors uniquely as with . From , composing with the epic gives and .
Second, and by exactness at the fourth objects. Write their inclusions as and . The equality gives the induced map . Sinceand is a monomorphism, . Kernel universality gives with . Cancelling the monic proves and .
Apply the short five lemma to the two short exact sequences: their outer maps are invertible, so is an isomorphism. This five lemma via image factorization argument uses only universal properties and therefore works in any abelian category, without treating its objects as literal sets of elements.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2014 iii Paper 12 1 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
Unless a coefficient group is displayed, use integral singular cohomology. The standard CW complex structure on infinite-dimensional real projective space has one cell in each nonnegative dimension. Its cellular chain complex has boundary for positive even and for odd . The cellular cohomology differential is therefore zero for even and multiplication by two for odd . ConsequentlyMore generally, for an abelian group , the positive odd groups are and the positive even groups are . In particular in every nonnegative degree.
For the required Bockstein homomorphism, use the short exact sequenceHere ; for all three coefficient groups are zero. Since singular chains are free abelian groups, applying cochains gives a short exact sequence of cochain complexes. Its connecting homomorphism defines and its long exact sequence is precisely the required one, with the other maps induced by and .
Explicitly, represent a class by a cocycle and choose a lift . Since , there is a unique cochain with . Injectivity of and show . DefineChanging the lift by changes by the coboundary . Changing the representative by a coboundary can be lifted by a coboundary as well and leaves the resulting class unchanged. Thus this is a well-defined group homomorphism, and the standard cochain lifting argument gives exactness.
Compute the Bockstein homomorphism on infinite-dimensional real projective space using its cellular cohomology complex. A generator with coefficients is represented by in degree , lifted to . Its coboundary is for even and for odd . Dividing via givesThus the odd-degree maps are isomorphisms. The comparison between cellular cohomology and singular cohomology is natural with respect to coefficient maps, so this computes the same connecting homomorphism constructed above.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2014 iii Paper 1 6 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
Set , a multiplicative subset. The localization at a prime ideal is , whose elements are fractions . Equality of two fractions means that for some . Likewise the localization of a module is , withAddition uses a common denominator, and the module action isThe equivalence relations make these operations well-defined, so is an -module.
If , choose . Its annihilator is proper, so it lies in a maximal ideal . The element cannot vanish in : vanishing would mean for some , contrary to . The converse is immediate by localizing the zero module. ThusThis proof of localization detects zero elements actually applies to arbitrary modules, without finite-generation or Noetherian assumptions. We will use that extra generality for an Ext functor module below.
An injective module has the extension property: for each inclusion , every map extends to a map . Equivalently, is exact. A projective module has the lifting property: for each surjection , every map lifts to . Equivalently, is exact, or is a direct summand of a free module.
For the local criterion for injectivity over a Noetherian ring, recall the Baer criterion: is injective precisely when every map from an ideal into extends to . Through the short exact sequence , this is equivalent toWe also need localization of Ext over a Noetherian ring. Because is Noetherian, the module has a free resolution with every term finitely generated: all successive kernels are finitely generated, so this can be built recursively. For a finite free term , the natural mapis an isomorphism, as is clear from a finite basis. Exactness of localization lets us pass to cohomology of the Hom complex. ThereforeThis explains the finiteness hypothesis needed for the localization argument, rather than assuming that localization preserves injectivity automatically.
If is injective, the left-hand side vanishes for every and . Every ideal of is , where is its contraction to : if , then , and conversely localization of a member of the contraction stays in . Hence all ideal tests for vanish, and the Baer criterion over makes injective.
Conversely, suppose every is injective. For each ideal , the displayed Ext functor localization is zero at every prime. The zero-detection argument above gives , without needing this Ext module to be finitely generated. Applying the Baer criterion over provesIn fact, under the Noetherian ring hypothesis this equivalence holds for arbitrary ; the printed finite-generation assumption is more than is needed.
The global dimension iswhere projective dimension is the smallest length of a projective resolution, or infinity if there is no finite one. If , every module is projective. Given an inclusion , the quotient is then projective, so the exact sequence splits. A retraction exists. For any module and any map , the composition extends . Thus every module is also injective. Global dimension zero makes all modules both projective and injective, as recorded by global dimension zero and split exact sequences.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2014 iii Paper 2 2 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
The Weyl complete reducibility theorem states that every finite-dimensional Lie algebra representation of a finite-dimensional complex semisimple Lie algebra is a direct sum of Irreducible Lie algebra representations. Equivalently, every invariant vector subspace has an invariant complement.
We use the permitted Casimir operator properties in the following precise form. There is a central quadratic operator commuting with the action on every module; it is zero on the trivial Lie algebra representation, and on every nontrivial finite-dimensional Irreducible Lie algebra representation it is a nonzero scalar . This follows from the Schur lemma and the Casimir eigenvalue , using the Killing form normalization. We also use the permitted one-dimensional-representation fact: a complex semisimple Lie algebra has only trivial one-dimensional representations. Equivalently, it is a perfect Lie algebra, , so a character annihilating brackets must vanish. Neither fact assumes complete reducibility of the module being proved reducible.
First prove that every finite-dimensional short exact sequencewith trivial quotient splits. If is nontrivial irreducible, the Casimir operator has image in and restricts to there. Consequently is a one-dimensional invariant complement to . If is trivial irreducible, has a basis in which every action is . The Lie algebra representation identity makes , so the one-dimensional-representation fact gives and again the sequence splits.
For general , induct on . Choose an irreducible submodule . The induced sequence with kernel and middle term splits by induction. The inverse image of its invariant complement is a submodule fitting into . The irreducible-kernel case gives an invariant line in mapping isomorphically to the quotient. It is also an invariant complement to in . The case starts this induction. This proves splitting of a trivial quotient for a semisimple Lie algebra, including kernels that are not assumed completely reducible.
Now let be any invariant subspace. On the Hom representation the action isLet consist of the maps whose restriction to is a scalar multiple of . This is a submodule, and restriction givesThe right-hand map is surjective because an ordinary linear projection exists; its quotient action is trivial because a commutator with is zero. The splitting just proved supplies an invariant with . Thus intertwines the actions, , andThe cases and are immediate. Choosing an irreducible submodule and repeating this complement construction proves the Weyl complete reducibility theorem. This last step is invariant complement from an equivariant projection.
Dropping finite dimensionality gives an example with the complex simple Lie algebra . Its Verma module of highest weight zero has a basis withwhere . These actions obey , , . The span of is a proper submodule and the quotient is trivial. It has no invariant complement: such a complement would be a trivial line, while is injective on the entire module. Thus a simple Lie algebra can have an infinite-dimensional representation that is not completely reducible, even over .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2014 iii Paper 3 3 a Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
The extension group consists of equivalence classes of short exact sequences , with the zero class represented by a split sequence and addition given by the Baer sum. The extension complex of quiver representations givesThe printed map has , so its kernel is and its cokernel is . Reversing the overall differential sign changes neither identification.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 iii Paper 15 3 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
Integral groups for . Put . The space is the inversion mapping torus of a torus, fibred over with fiber . The cohomology ring of a torus is the exterior algebra on degree-one generators. Inversion acts as on each such generator, hence as on .
The Wang sequence therefore givesThe right-hand term is free, so this short exact sequence splits as a sequence of groups. In even fiber degree, ; in odd fiber degree it is multiplication by . For this computes the integral cohomology of an inversion mapping torus:The top torsion group is consistent with being nonorientable: inversion of its three-dimensional fiber reverses orientation.
Mod-two groups. Over , inversion acts as the identity on the fiber cohomology. The Wang sequence givesThuswith out-of-range binomial coefficients interpreted as zero. These are exactly the dimensions of the graded groups .
The intersection pairing for . The mapping torus of reflection of the circle is the Klein bottle. Let be the section loop through a fixed point of the reflection and a fiber circle. They form a basis of . The section has a normal neighborhood homeomorphic to a Möbius band, so it is one-sided and a transverse displacement meets it once modulo two. The fiber is two-sided and can be displaced disjointly. The two loops meet once. The mod-two intersection pairing of the Klein bottle therefore has matrixTake the evaluation-dual basis , with and . By Poincare duality, the cup product matrix in this dual basis is , not :Writing for the nonzero top class gives , and . Hence the cohomology ring isThese relations already force all degrees above two to vanish.
The ring for general . For each of the fiber coordinates, projection induces . Pull back the classes above, calling the common base class and the fiber-coordinate classes . Naturality of the cup product gives and . The square-free products restrict to the exterior algebra basis of the fiber cohomology. The Leray-Hirsch theorem then says that and form an additive basis. This proves the full mod-two cohomology ring of an inversion mapping torus:For , is nonzero by this basis description. In the cohomology ring of a torus every degree-one class squares to zero: the generators square to zero and the cross terms occur twice in characteristic two. The degree-one cup-square obstruction to ring isomorphism therefore proves that the rings are not isomorphic for any , despite their isomorphic graded groups. For , both spaces are circles and the rings are isomorphic. Even if grading is forgotten, the rings differ for : every element of the torus ring has square either zero or one, whereas is nonzero and is not the unit.
Integral cup products in . To specify also as a ring, let be the pullback of the positive generator of . Let denote reduction modulo two and set using the integral Bockstein homomorphism. The degree-one Bockstein square identity gives , so the are the three independent order-two classes in degree two. Choose free classes which restrict to the corresponding two-fold fiber products and have reductions . Such choices exist: reduction in degree two is surjective because is free, and adding the removes any terms from an initial lift.
The Wang sequence identifies as a free basis of . Let generate , with . Reduction in degree four is an isomorphism. The integral cup products in the four-dimensional inversion mapping torus are consequently determined byTogether with the unit, graded commutativity and vanishing above degree four, these give every product. For example, , whereas . The products vanish because they are torsion in the free group .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 iii Paper 16 2 a Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
For , the assertion is the assumed vanishing for coherent ideal sheaves. For , project onto the last component. Its image is a coherent ideal sheaf, and its kernel is a coherent sheaf contained in . Here images and kernels are coherent because a variety is Noetherian. The short exact sequencegives an exact segment in the long exact sequence in sheaf cohomology. The outer terms vanish by mathematical induction and the hypothesis, so the middle term vanishes. This is ideal-sheaf vanishing for a coherent submodule of a trivial bundle.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 iii Paper 16 2 Solution 2026-10-06
For an affine variety, every coherent ideal sheaf is quasi-coherent; vanishing of quasi-coherent cohomology on an affine scheme therefore gives .
For the projective-space complement, assume and choose two distinct closed points . Take the ideal sheaf of two closed points on . The codimension-two extension of regular functions on a normal variety givesOne can see this directly: on every standard affine chart of , a rational function written in lowest terms cannot have a nonconstant denominator, because an irreducible polynomial factor of the denominator would define a pole along a codimension-one hypersurface, and such a hypersurface is not removed by . The extended function is constant because every global regular function on projective space is constant. Now the short exact sequencesends diagonally into on global sections. Its cokernel is , and the long exact sequence in sheaf cohomology injects that cokernel into . ThusThe assumption is necessary: is already affine and has no such example.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 iii Paper 28 4 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
Here a divisor is a modulus of a number field, rather than an arbitrary real-weighted divisor. Writewhere is a nonzero integral ideal, the finite multiplicities are nonnegative integers, and is a set of real Archimedean places. The multiplicity of a place in a modulus is at the finite place corresponding to , is at a real place in , and is at every other infinite place. In particular complex places have multiplicity .
Let be the group of nonzero fractional ideals prime to . PutLet consist of the principal ideals with . The generalized ideal class group is the ray class groupLet be the unit group, let be the group of ray units, and define the residue and signature group of a modulusThe first factor is omitted when . There is a group homomorphism recording the unit's finite residues and its signs. Its kernel is .
Let consist of all principal fractional ideals prime to , and put . The two short exact sequences areandFor the first short exact sequence, weak approximation for number fields realizes every choice of finite unit residues and real signs by some prime to . Send that data to the class of in . Changing without changing its residues and signs multiplies it by an element of , so the map is well-defined. Its kernel consists exactly of data arising from units: if with , then . This gives . For the second short exact sequence, forget the ray conditions. Its kernel is , and weak approximation for number fields gives a representative prime to for every ideal class. These are the two parts of the ray class exact sequence.
For , the ring of integers of a quadratic field is . The finite modulus is trivial and both real places occur, so is the narrow ideal class group and . The two field embeddings send to and . The given unit is positive at both places, since ; the unit is negative at both. Thus the unit signature map has imageThe given ideal class group has order . The second short exact sequence therefore givesTo determine the group structure, retain the ideal that generates the ordinary ideal class group. We have : all generators , and lie in , whileputs in . Since is totally positive, in the narrow ideal class group. Its image in the ordinary ideal class group is nontrivial, so has order exactly .
The class of the principal ideal is a nontrivial element of . Its two signs are , and multiplying by a unit can only reverse both signs or neither, so no generator of this ideal is totally positive. Its square is , which does have a totally positive generator. Thus is another element of order , distinct from because its ordinary ideal class is trivial. These two elements are independent and generate all four classes. ConsequentlyThe nontrivial ordinary ideal class already has a lift of order , so the extension in the second short exact sequence splits; it cannot be cyclic of order .
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 iii Paper 3 1 c Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
Rows in the following matrix index the source, columns the target, in the order . Solving the arrow-square equation for a quiver representation morphism givesIn particular, the nonzero morphisms between distinct representations are and , each a one-dimensional family of scalar multiples of the vertexwise inclusion or projection. A map is forced to vanish at the source by the identity arrow of ; similarly a map is forced to vanish at the target. Maps between and are zero. Each endomorphism ring is .
The extension complex of quiver representations for the one-arrow quiver isIts cokernel is . Substitution of the three representations givesHere the first argument is the quotient endpoint of a short exact sequence. Thus the only possible nonsplit endpoint pair is subobject , quotient . The sequenceis nonsplit, since is indecomposable. More explicitly, all extensions with these endpoints have a middle arrow : gives the split short exact sequence, while each gives a middle representation isomorphic to . With endpoint identifications fixed the extension classes form ; up to endpoint automorphisms all nonzero classes give this same nonsplit sequence. There are no other nonsplit sequences with the listed endpoints, including equal endpoints.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2015 iii Paper 3 5 c Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-06
Split the sequence as vector spaces at each vertex. In these coordinates, the middle arrow maps have block formFor , change basis by at every vertex. It changes the off-diagonal block to . These arrow matrices depend polynomially on and at give . Thus the split extension as a degeneration showsWe must check that the two orbits are different. If , apply to the original short exact sequence. Exactness makes the kernel of equal to . The assumed isomorphism of the middle representation gives , so this map is surjective. In particular the identity of lifts to , splitting the sequence, a contradiction. Hence the orbits are indeed distinct.