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6.2 Finite and Algebraic Extensions

This document contains solutions to problems regarding finite field extensions. It addresses several questions: - It shows that a polynomial is irreducible over Q and remains irreducible over an extension of Q. - It finds bases for various field extensions, such as a basis for Q(√5,√3√5) over Q. - It determines the degrees of extensions for expressions like Q(√2+√3√5) over Q. - It addresses whether expressions like 4√2 belong to given extensions. - It proves properties of finite fields, such as every finite field having order pn for some n and having a cyclic multiplicative group if and only if it is finite.

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Mohan Rao
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169 views3 pages

6.2 Finite and Algebraic Extensions

This document contains solutions to problems regarding finite field extensions. It addresses several questions: - It shows that a polynomial is irreducible over Q and remains irreducible over an extension of Q. - It finds bases for various field extensions, such as a basis for Q(√5,√3√5) over Q. - It determines the degrees of extensions for expressions like Q(√2+√3√5) over Q. - It addresses whether expressions like 4√2 belong to given extensions. - It proves properties of finite fields, such as every finite field having order pn for some n and having a cyclic multiplicative group if and only if it is finite.

Uploaded by

Mohan Rao
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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6.

6.2

J.A.Beachy

Finite and Algebraic Extensions


from A Study Guide for Beginners by J.A.Beachy,
a supplement to Abstract Algebra by Beachy / Blair

12. Show
that x3 + 6x2 12x + 2 is irreducible over Q, and remains irreducible over

5
Q( 2).
Solution: Let f (x) = x3 + 6x2 12x + 2. Then Eisensteins criterion, with p = 2,
shows that f (x) is irreducible over Q.

Since x5 2 is also irreducible by Eisensteins


criterion, it follows that [Q( 5 2) : Q] = 5.

If f (x) could be factored over


Q( 5 2), then it would have a linear factor, and so it

would have a root r Q( 5 2). Over Q, the root r would have degree 3, since its
minimal polynomialover Q would be f (x). That leads to a contradiction, since 3 is
not a divisor of [Q( 5 2) : Q].

13. Find a basis for Q( 5, 3 5) over Q.


Solution: The set {1, 3 5, 3 25} is a basis for Q( 3 5)over Q, and since this extension
5 remains
irreducible
over the
has degree 3,the minimal polynomial
x2 5 of

3
extension Q( 5). Therefore {1, 5} is a basis for Q( 5, 3 5) over Q( 3 5), and so the
proof of Theorem
shows
basis is the set of products of the two

that
the
required

6.2.4
bases:
{1, 5, 3 5, 5 3 5, 3 25, 5 3 25}.

14. Show that [Q( 2 + 3 5) : Q] = 6.


Solution: The set {1, 3 5, 3 25} is a basis for Q( 3 5)over Q, and since this extension
2 2 of
remains irreducible over
has degree 3,the minimal polynomial

the
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
5,
2
25}
is
a
basis
for
Q(
5,
2)
extension Q( 5). Thus {1, 5, 25, 2,

3
over Q, and this extension contains u = 2 + 5. It follows that u has degree 2, 3,
or 6 over Q.

We will show that u cannot have degree 3. If 2 + 3 5 is a root of a polynomial


ax3 + bx2 + cx + d in Q[x], then

0 = a( 2 + 3 5)3 + b( 2 + 3 5)2 + c( 2 + 3 5) + d =

a(2 2 + 6 3 5 + 3 2 3 25 + 5) + b(2 + 2 2 3 5 + 3 25) + c( 2 + 3 5) + d =



(5a + 2b + d) 1 + (6a + c) 3 5 + b 3 25 + (2a + c) 2 + 2b 2 3 5 + 3a 2 3 25.

Since {1, 3 5, 3 25, 2, 2 3 5, 2 3 25} are linearly independent overQ, itfollows
immediately that a = b = 0, and then c = d = 0 as well, so 2 + 3 5 cannot satisfy
a nonzero polynomial of degree 1, 2, or 3 over Q. We conclude that

3
[Q( 2 + 5) : Q] = 6.

15. Find [Q( 7 16 + 3 7 8) : Q].

Solution: Let u = 7 16 + 3 7 8. Since u = ( 7 2 + 3)( 7 2)3 , it follows thatu Q( 7 2).


Since x7 2 is irreducible over Q by Eisensteins criterion, we have [Q( 7 2)
: Q] = 7,
and then u must have degree 7 over Q since [Q(u) : Q] is a divisor of [Q( 7 2) : Q].

6.2

J.A.Beachy

3
2 + i over Q. Does 4 2 belong to Q( 3 2 + i)?

Solution: Let u = 3 2 + i, so that u i = 3 2. Then (u i)3 = 2, so we have


u3 3iu2 + 3i2 u i3 = 2, or u3 3iu2 3u + i =
2. Solving for i we get i =
2 1), and this shows that i Q( 3 2 + i). It follows immediately
(u3 3u 2)/(3u

that 3 2 Q( 3 2 + i), and so Q( 3 2 + i) = Q( 3 2, i).

Since x3 2 is irreducible over Q, the number 3 2 has degree 3 over Q. Since x2 + 1


3
2 + i) : Q]
is irreducible over Q, we see
that i has degree 2 over
Q. Therefore
[Q(

3
3
3
3
6. On
i) : Q( 2)][Q( 2) : Q] and
the other hand, [Q( 2 + i) : Q] = [Q( 2 +
3
i)
:
Q(i)][Q(i)
:
Q]
so
[Q(
2 + i) : Q] must be divisible
[Q( 3 2 + i) : Q] = [Q( 3 2 +

3
by 2 and 3. Therefore [Q( 2 + i) : Q] = 6.

Finally, 4 2 has degree 4 over Q since x4 2 is irreducible over Q, so it cannot belong


to an extension of degree 6 since 4 is not a divisor of 6.

16. Find the degree of

17. Let F be a field whose multiplicative group F is cyclic. Prove that F must be a
finite field.
Comment: This is the converse of an important result which states that the multiplicative group of a finite field is cyclic. (The general result is given in in Theorem 6.5.10 of Abstract Algebra.) See Problem 4.1.30 for the special case Z
p.
Solution: Suppose that the group F is infinite cyclic, with generator u. Since u
does not have finite order, it is different from 1 and 1, and the only solution of the
equation x2 = 1 is x = 1. Thus 1 = 1, and char(F ) = 2. It follows that 1 generates
a base field K isomorphic to Z2 .
Since 1 + u 6= 0, we have 1 + u F . Then because F is cyclic we must have
1 + u = un or 1 + u = un for some n Z+ . In the first case, u is a root of
xn x 1 K[x], and in the second case u is a root of xn + xn1 1 K[x]. It
follows that F = K(u) is a finite extension of K, and therefore F itself is finite, a
contradiction.
18. Let F be a finite field of characteristic p. Show that F has pn elements, for some
positive integer n.
Solution: Since char(F ) = p, the subfield K = {n 1 | n Z} is isomorphic to Zp .
Since F is finite, it must certainly have finite dimension as a vector space over K, say
[F : K] = n. If v1 , . . . , vn is a basis for F over K, then each element of F has the
form a1 v1 + + an vn , for a1 , . . . , an K. Thus to define an element of F there are
n coefficients ai , and for each coefficient there are p choices, since |K| = p. Thus the
total number of elements in F is pn .
ANSWERS AND HINTS
19. Over Z2 , factor x4 x, x8 x, and x16 x.
In the text Abstract Algebra, the answer to Exercise 4.2.12 gives the following
list of irreducible polynomials over Z2 :
degree 2: p2 (x) = x2 + x + 1

6.2

J.A.Beachy

degree 3: p31 (x) = x3 + x2 + 1 and p32 (x) = x3 + x + 1


degree 4: p41 (x) = x4 +x3 +x2 +x+1, p42 (x) = x4 +x3 +1, and p43 (x) = x4 +x+1.
Answer: Check the following factorizations; see Theorem 6.6.1 for an explanation.
x4 x = x(x 1)(x2 + x + 1) = x(x 1)(p2 (x))
x8 x = x(x 1)(x3 + x2 + 1)(x3 + x + 1) = x(x 1)(p31 (x))(p32 (x))
x16 x = x(x 1)(p2 (x))(p41 (x))(p42 (x))(p43 (x))


21. In the finite field F = Z2 [x]/ x4 + x + 1 , find a subfield K with 4 elements.
Hint: Let = [x2 + x + 1]. Then 2 = [x4 + x2 + 1] = [x2 + x], and 3 =
[x2 + x + 1][x2 + x] = [x4 + x] = [1], so {1, , 2 } is closed under multiplication.
Answer: K = {0, 1, , 2 }
22. Suppose that E and F are extension fields of Z2 , with Z2 E F . Given that
[E : Z2 ] = 2 and [F : E] = 3, find |E| and |F |.
Answer: |E| = 4 and |F | = 64

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