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Chapter 16 Polynomial Rings

This document provides an overview of polynomial rings. It defines the ring of polynomials over a commutative ring R as the set of polynomials with coefficients in R. It proves that if D is an integral domain, then D[x] is also an integral domain. The division algorithm and remainder theorem are discussed. It is shown that if F is a field, F[x] is a principal ideal domain. Examples of quotient fields formed by polynomial rings over Q, R, and Z2 are given to illustrate the concepts.

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220 views8 pages

Chapter 16 Polynomial Rings

This document provides an overview of polynomial rings. It defines the ring of polynomials over a commutative ring R as the set of polynomials with coefficients in R. It proves that if D is an integral domain, then D[x] is also an integral domain. The division algorithm and remainder theorem are discussed. It is shown that if F is a field, F[x] is a principal ideal domain. Examples of quotient fields formed by polynomial rings over Q, R, and Z2 are given to illustrate the concepts.

Uploaded by

Winda Dwi
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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Chapter 16 Polynomial rings

Chapter 16 Polynomial rings


Chapter 16 Polynomial Rings

Preliminary: Chapter 1 - 15; at least the definitions of Group, Ring, Field.


Motivation Early study of algebra concerns solving (polynomial) equations:

f (x) = a0 + a1 x + · · · + an xn = 0, where a0 , . . . , an ∈ R.

We consider the problems for R = Z, Q, R, C, M2 and a finite field, say, Zp .


Some natural questions.
1) Can we find a zero of f (x) in R? That is, find a ∈ R such that f (a) = 0.
2) If not, can we find a zero in a larger ring R̃?
3) What are the structure of the set R[x] of all the polynomials in x over R?
4) Find the common and distinct features of R[x] for different R.
5) What are the relations between the zeros of f (x)?

Chapter 16 Polynomial rings


Notation and basic results

Remark One can define a polynomial function f : R → R by

f (x) = a0 + a1 x + · · · + an xn .

Different polynomials may give rise to the same function.


Notation Let R be a commutative ring. The ring of polynomials over R in the
indeterminate x is the set

R[x] = {a0 + · · · + an xn : n ∈ N, a0 , . . . , an ∈ R}.

We can consider equality, addition, multiplication and degree of a polynomial


f (x) ∈ R[x].
Theorem 16.1 If D is an integral domain, then D[x] is an integral domain.
Proof. Check the ring axioms, unity, commutativity, no zero divisors.
Note If F is a field, then F [x] behaves like Z in many regards.

Chapter 16 Polynomial rings


Division Algorithm and Remainder Theorem

Theorem 16.2 [Division Algorithm.] If F is a field, and f (x), g(x) ∈ F [x] with
g(x) 6= 0, then there exist unique polynomials q(x), r(x) such that

f (x) = g(x)q(x) + r(x) with deg(r(x)) ≤ deg(g(x)).

Proof. See the proof in p. 301. In practice, we do the following.


Corollary [Remainder Theorem] Let F be a field, f (x) ∈ F [x], a ∈ F . Then

f (x) = (x − a)q(x) + f (a),

i.e., f (a) is the remainder.


Consequently, (x − a) is a factor of f (x) if and only if f (a) = 0.
If deg(f (x)) = n, then f (x) has at most n zeros, counting multiplicities.

Chapter 16 Polynomial rings


Principal Ideal Domain

Definition A principal ideal domain is an integral domain R in which every


ideal has the form

hai = {ra : r ∈ R} for some a ∈ R.

Theorem 16.3-4 Let F be a field. Then F [x] is a principal ideal domain.


In fact, for any non-zero ideal A of F [x], A = hg(x)i, where g(x) is a nonzero
polynomial in A with minimum degree.
Proof. The result is clear if A = {0}. Let g(x) ∈ A have minimum degree.
It exists because of the well-ordering principle of positive integers. Then
every f (x) is a multiple of g(x). Else, ...

Chapter 16 Polynomial rings


Quotient field

Example 1 Suppose f (x) = x2 − 2 ∈ Q[x] and A = hx2 − 2i. Then

F = Q[x]/A = {ax + b + A : a, b ∈ Q}

is a field, where 0 + A and 1 + A are the zero and unity of the field, and the
multiplicative inverse of ax + b + A ∈ F is (ax − b)/(2a2 − b2 ) + A because

(ax + b + A)((ax − b)/(2a2 − b2 ) + A)


= (a2 x2 − b2 )/(2a2 − b2 ) + A
= (2a2 − b2 )/(2a2 − b2 ) + A = 1 + A.

Here note that 2a2 − b2 6= 0 because a, b ∈ Q.


By the factor theorem, f (x) has no zeros in Q.
But x + A ∈ F is a zero of the equation y 2 − 2 ∈ F[y], because

(x + A)2 − (2 + A) = (x2 − 2) + A = 0 + A.

Chapter 16 Polynomial rings


Example 2 Suppose f (x) = x2 + 1 ∈ R[x] and A = hx2 + 1i. Then

F = R[x]/A = {ax + b + A : a, b ∈ R}

is a field.
For every nonzero ax + b + A ∈ F, the multiplicative inverse is
(−ax + b)/(a2 + b2 ) + A because

(ax + b + A)((−ax + b)/(a2 + b2 ) + A) = (−a2 x2 + b2 )/(a2 + b2 ) + A

= (a2 + b2 )/(a2 + b2 ) + A = 1 + A.
Note that f (x) has no zeros in R. But x + A ∈ F is a zero of y 2 + 1 ∈ F[y].

Chapter 16 Polynomial rings


Example 3 Suppose f (x) = x2 + x + 1 ∈ Z2 [x] and A = hx2 + x + 1i. Then

F = Z2 [x]/A = {ax + b + A : a, b ∈ Z2 }

is a field with 4 elements.


For every nonzero ax + b + A ∈ F, one can find the inverse. Here are the
inverse pairs:
(1 + A, 1 + A), (x + A, 1 + x + A).

Note that f (x) has no zeros in Z2 . But x + A ∈ F is a zero of y 2 + y + 1 ∈ F.

Chapter 16 Polynomial rings

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