Mathematics 113 Professor A.

Ogus
May 16, 2008
Algebra Final Exam Solutions
Note: Be sure to write in complete sentences. You will be graded on your
style as well as content. I may deduct points for material you write that is
correct but irrelevant, as well for material that is relevant but incorrect.
Denitions. (30 points, 3 for each problem)
1. What is the denition of an equivalence relation on a set A?
An equivalence relation on A is a subset R of AA such that (a, a) R
for every a A, (a, b) R whenever (b, a) A, and (a, c) R whenever
(a, b) and (b, c) R.
2. What is the denition of a monoid?
A monoid is a set M together with an associative binary operation
which admits a two-sided identity element.
3. What is the denition of a normal subgroup of a group?
A normal subgroup H of G is a nonempty subset which contains ab
1
and gag
1
whenever a, b H and g G.
4. What is the denition of a permutation of a set S?
A permutation of S is a bijective function from S to S.
5. If G is a group and A is a G-set, what is the denition of an orbit of
A?
An orbit of A is a subset of A of the form ga : g G for some a A.
6. What is the denition of an ideal in a ring?
And ideal in a ring R is a nonempty subset I which contains a +b and
ra and ar whenever a, b I and r R.
7. What is the denition of a maximal ideal in a ring?
A maximal ideal of R is an ideal I ,= R such that there are no ideals
K with I K R.
8. If R is an integral domain, what is the denition of a unit of R?
A unit of R is an element u such that there exists an element v of R
such that uv = 1.
9. If R is an integral domain, what is the denition of an irreducible ele-
ment of R?
An element r of R is irreducible if it is not zero, not a unit, and when-
ever = ab, either a or b is a unit.
10. If R is an integral domain, what is the denition of a prime element of
R?
An element r of R is prime if r , R

and whenever r[ab, r[a or r[b.

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Computations. (60 pts.) Show and explain your work as appropriate.
1. (25 points) Write the following permutation as a product of disjoint
cycles, then compute its sign, order, the size of its conjugacy class, and
its centralizer in the group S
9
.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
5 9 8 7 3 4 6 1 2

.
Warning: if you get the rst part wrong you will receive no partial
credit if the rest of your answers are consequently wrong.
(a) cycle decomposition: (1 5 3 8)(2 9)(4 7 6)
(b) sign: even
(c) order: 12
(d) number of conjugates in S
9
. This is
9!
423
= 15120
(e) centralizer in S
9
. This clearly contains the product of the groups
generated by the cycles: (1 5 3 8))(19))(4 7 6)). This group has
order 4 2 3, hence its index is the number of conjugates, hence
it is the entire centralizer.
2. (15 points) In the cyclic group (Z
630
, +) of order 630, let H be the
smallest subgroup containing [40] and [300]. Find the order of H. Is
H cyclic? If not, explain why not. If it is, nd a generator.
Any subgroup of a cyclic group is cyclic, so H is surely cyclic. In fact,
the greatest common divisor of 40 and 300 is 20, so H is generated by
[20]. The greatest common divisor of 20 and 630 is 10, so H is also
generated by [10]. Evidently this group has order 63.
3. (10 points) Find two positive integers n less than 31 such that n
92
+ n
31
6
is divisible by 31.
If n is not divisible by 31, then n
30
is congruent to 1 mod 31, so it
enough to nd n such that n
2
+ n 6 is divisible by n. n = 2 and
n = 3 satisfy this. Thus n = 2 and n = 28 will work.
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4. (10 points) In the ring of Gaussian integer Z[i], factor 70 into irreducible
factors. (You need not prove that your factors are irreducible, just
explain.)
We have 70 = 2 7 5. Since 7 is congruent to 3 mod 4, it is irreducible
in Z[i]. Thus
70 = (1 + i)(1 i)7(1 + 2i)(1 2i).
The remaining numbers are irreducible since their norms are prime.
Theory and proofs. (60 points, 15 for each problem) In the following
problems, you may use a theorem stated in the book, but not if it reduces
the problem to a triviality. Explain yourself carefully.
1. Let G be a nite group.
(a) Let S be a nite G-set. Write an equation relating the cardinal-
ity of S, the number of xed points, and the indexes of certain
subgroups of G. Explain very carefully what these subgroups are,
using complete sentences.
Choose an element s
i
from each nontrivial orbit of S and let G
i
:=
g : gs
i
= s
i
. Then if S
G
denotes the set of xed points,
[S[ = [S
G
[ +

i
[G : G
i
].
(b) Suppose that the p is prime and that G is a p-group, i.e., that
the order of G is a power of p. Prove that the cardinality of S is
congruent to the cardinality of the xed point set S
G
mod p.
If G is a p-group, each [G : G
i
] is divisible by p, since G
i
is a
proper subgroup of G.
(c) Use the previous result (with a suitably chosen S) to prove that
the center of every p-group is nontrivial.
Let G act on itself by conjugation. Then the set of xed points is
just the center Z of G, and the equation shows that its cardinality
is divisible by p. Since e Z, Z has at least p elements.
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2. Let : A B be a homomorphism of rings. Prove that the kernel of
is an ideal of A. Prove that if A is commutative and B is an integral
domain, then the kernel of is a prime ideal of A.
Let K be the kernel of . If k and k

belong to K, (k + k

) = (k) +
(k

) = 0, so k + k

K. Furthermore, 0 K. Finally, if a A,
(ak) = (a)(k) = (a)0 = 0, and similarly for (ka). Hence ak and
ka belong to K also. If B is an integral domain and aa

belongs to the
kernel, then (a) = (a

) in B, hence either (a) or (a

) is zero, hence
a or a

belongs K. This means that it is a prime ideal.

3. Consider the subring R := Z[

11] of C consisting of all numbers

of the form a + b

11], where a and b are integers. In the following

problems, use the norm map N: R Z sending to .
(a) Find all the units of R.
An element = a +b

11 of R is a unit if and only if N() is a

unit, i it is 1. But N() = a
2
+ b
2
11, which can only equal 1 if
b = 0 and a = 1.
(b) Show that 5 is irreducible in R.
Say 3 = . Then 9 = N()N(), Since 3 is not the norm of
anything, either N() or N() = 1, hence one of them is a unit.
(c) Show that 3 is not prime in R. (Hint: look at 3
3
. )
3
3
= 27 = 16+11 = (4+

11)(4

11), but 3 does not divide

(4 +

11).
4. Let F be a nite eld and let f be an irreducible element of F[X].
Suppose that f has a root e in an extension eld E of f. Prove that f
splits in E.
Hint: It is enough to prove this when E = F[e]. Use the fact that
Aut(E/F) has order d, where d is the degree of E over F. (You do not
need to prove this fact.)
If g Aut(E/F), then g(e) is another root of f. If h Aut(E/F) and
g(e) = h(e), g = h, since E = F[e]. Thus the number of roots of g is
at least as big as the size of Aut(E/F). In our case, we know this is d,
the degree of g. So g has d roots in E, so it splits.
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