Math 8201 Homework 12 Fall 2014

Tianyu Tao
December 9, 2014
Problem 1:

p. 154 Exx 2.

Proof: Suppose towards a contradiction that f (x) is reducible in Z[x], then f (x)
factors as (assume j i)
f (x) = h(x)g(x) = (h0 + h1 x + + hi xi )(g0 + g1 x + + gj xj )
where a(x), b(x) are nonconstant polynomials. We have the relation a0 = h0 g0 , a1 =
h1 g0 + h0 g1 , . . . an = hi gj , since p divides a0 , it must divide either h0 or g0 , but
not both since p2 dose not divide a0 , so assume p divides h0 , since p divides a1 ,
it follows that p divides h1 g0 = a1 h0 g1 , but we know p does not divides g0 , we
conclude that p divides h1 , continue in this way, we find that p divides hj , but
then p divides an = hi gj , contradiction.
Therefore f is irreducible in Z[x], since Q is the field of fractions of Z, which is
a UFD and f is of content 1, it follows by Gauss Lemma that f is irreducible in
Q[x], since if f (x) is reducible in Q[x], we may write f (x) = H(x)G(x) and there
exist m, n Q such that mH(x), nG(x) Z[x] and f (x) = a(x)b(x) in Z[x], this
is true because if we multiply the common denominator of the coefficients of H(x)
and G(x), we get
dp(x) = a
(x)b(x)
where d is some integer and a
(x), b(x) Z[x], if a prime p divides d then it must also
divides some coefficient of a
(x) or b(x), so we can cancel d and get p(x) = a(x)b(x)
where a(x), b(x) Z[x].

Math 8201 Homework 12

Problem 2:

Tianyu Tao

p.154 Exx 3.

Proof. The polynomial obtained after replacing x by x + 1 is the polynomial

   
p  
1X p i
p
p
(x + 1)p 1
=
x =
+
x + + xp1
gp (x) =
x+1x
x i=1 i
1
2
Note p divides all the coefficients except of xp1 and p2 does not divide the constant
term p, thus by Eisenstein gp (x) = p (x + 1) is irreducible, it follows then the
cyclotomic polynomial p (x) = gp (x 1) is irreducible, since any factorization of
p (x) = a(x)b(x) gives a factorization of gp via a(x 1)b(x 1).

Problem 3:

p.154 Exx 5.

Proof: Note D ' D[x]/(x), and (x) is a prime ideal in D[x] since D is a domain,
moreover since D[x] is a PID we can show that (x) is maximal, indeed, if I is any
ideal that contains (x), we know I = (y) for some y D[x] so x = ry for some
r D[x], then since x is prime we know either x divides r or y, if p divides y then
(x) = I, if x divides r then r = xs and r = rys so ys = 1 so (y) = (1) = D[x]. We
showed before if D[x]/(x) is maximal idea then D must be a field.

Problem 4:

p.316 Exx 1.

Proof: The standard sequence is

f0 (x) = x3 7x 7
f1 (x) = 3x 7
14
f2 (x) = x 7
3
1
f3 (x) =
4
So (for simplicity I just display the signs) {fj (2)} = {, +, +, } and V2 = 2
and {fj (2)} = {, , , } so V2 = 0, it follows that there are two distinct real
roots in (2, 2).

Math 8201 Homework 12

Problem 5:

Tianyu Tao

p.316 Exx 2.

Proof: The standard sequence is

f0 (x) = x4 + 12x2 + 5x 9
f1 (x) = 4x3 + 24x + 5
15
f2 (x) = 6x2 x + 9
4
505
5
f3 (x) =
x
16
4
93228
f4 (x) =
10201
Let M = 27 = 1 + |1| + |12| + |5| + | 9|, then {fj (M )} = {+, , , +, } and
{fj (M )} = {+, +, , , }, so V (M ) V (M ) = 3 = 1 = 2, there are 2 distinct
real roots for f (x) = x4 + 12x2 + 5x 9 on the whole real line.

Problem 6:

p.316 Exx 3.

Proof: The sequence is almost the standard sequence except that f2 and f3 are
differ from the standard f2 , f3 by a constant 1/3, 1/p2 , but the constant are positive
so does not affect the sign, hence it is a Strum sequence for any a, b with f (a)f (b) 6=
0.
Now, suppose d < 0, if p > 0, take a = b = M for M sufficiently large so
that the sign of the term M 3 , 3M 2 , 2pM dominates the lower order terms and all
zeros are contained in [M, M ], then {fj (M )} = {, +, +, } and {fj (M )} =
{+, +, , } we have VM VM = 2 1 = 1, there is a single real roots; if p < 0,
choose M does the same thing and the sign becomes {, +, , }, {+, +, +, }
the difference of variation is still 1.
Lastly if d > 0, then necessarily p < 0 since d = 4p3 26q 2 , and choose M
again we have signs {, +, , +}, {+, +, +, +}, there are 3 distinct real roots.

Math 8201 Homework 12

Problem 7:

Tianyu Tao

Written.

Proof: We wish to find the greatest common divisor of 977 and 725 + i in Z[i],
proceed as the algorithm on page 148, we see
977 = (1)(725 + i) + (252 i)
725 + i = (3)(252 i) + (31 + 4i)
252 i = (8 i)(31 + 4i)
So 31 + 4i is the gcd and we see 977 = 312 + 42 .
Of course, one could try the algorithm 977 i2 starting from i = 1, use this
one stops after 4 steps.