6.

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J.A.Beachy

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

13. Let u be a root of the polynomial x3 + 3x + 3. In Q(u), express (7 2u + u2 )1 in

the form a + bu + cu2 .
Solution: Dividing x3 + 3x + 3 by x2 2x + 7 gives the quotient x + 2 and remainder
11. Thus u3 +3u+3 = (u+2)(u2 2u+7)11, and so (72u+u2 )1 = (2+u)/11 =
(2/11) + (1/11)u.

14. Find the minimal polynomial of the real number 1 + 3 2 over Q.

Solution: Let x = 1 + 3 2. Then x 1 = 3 2, and so (x 1)3 = 2, which yields

x3 3x2 + 3x 1 = 2, and therefore x3 3x2 + 3x 3 = 0. Eisensteins criterion
(with p = 3) shows that x3 3x2 + 3x 3 is irreducible over Q, so this is the required
minimal polynomial.

15. Find the minimal polynomial of the complex number 1 + 3i over Q.

Solution: Let x = 1 + 3i. Then

x

1
=
3i, and so (x 1)2 = 3, and therefore

x2 2x + 4 = 0. Since 1 + 3i 6 Q, it follows that x2 2x + 4 is the minimal

polynomial of 1 + 3i over Q.

16. (a) Show that Q( 2 + i) = Q( 2, i).

1
Solution: Let u = 2+i. Then ( 2+i)( 2i) = 2i2 = 3, so 2i
= 3( 2+i)
Q(u), and it follows easily that 2 Q(u) and i Q(u), so Q( 2, i) Q(u). The
reverse inclusion is obvious.

(b) Find the minimal polynomial of the complex number 2 + i over Q.

Solution: We have Q Q( 2) Q( 2, i). Thus [Q( 2) : Q]= 2 since 2 is a

root of a polynomial of degree 2 but is not in Q. We
have [Q( 2, i) : Q(
2)] = 2
since
i is a root of a polynomial of degree 2 over Q( 2)but is not in Q( 2). Thus
[Q( 2 + i) : Q] = 4, and so the minimal polynomial for 2 + i must have degree 4.

Since u = 2 + i, we have u i = 2, u2 2iu + i2 = 2, and u2 3 = 2iu. Squaring

again
and combining terms gives u4 2u2 + 9 = 0. Thus the minimal polynomial for

2 + i is x4 2x2 + 9.
17. Show that the polynomial f (x) = x2 + x 1 is irreducible

2
 over the field K = Z3 , but
has two roots in the extension field F = Z3 [x]/ x + 1 .
Solution: Since f (0) = 1, f (1) = 1, and f (1) = 1, there are no roots of f (x) in
K. Since x2 + 1 also has no roots in K, we know that F is an extension field of K.
Letting [x] = , the elements of F have the form a + b, for a, b Z3 , and behaves
like i in C. A clue to finding the roots comes from solving x2 + x 1 in C. The

1
quadratic formula gives the solutions (1 5) in C. To translate to Z3 , note that
2

the multiplicative inverse of 2 is 2, and 5

= 1. In F , we have 2 = [x]2 = 1, so

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J.A.Beachy

reasoning by analogy, the candidates for roots are 2(1 ) = 1 2 = 1 . Now

we must check the conjecture.
(1 + )2 + (1 + ) 1 = 1 + 2[x] + [x]2 + 1 + [x] 1 = [x]2 + 1 0.

(1 )2 + (1 ) 1 = 1 2[x] + [x]2 + 1 [x] 1 = [x]2 + 1 0.

18. Let F be an extension field of K. Let G be the set of all automorphisms : F F

such that (x) = x for all x K. Show that G is a group (under composition of
functions).
Solution: Recall that an automorphism of F is a just an isomorphism from F to
F . We know that the composite of two isomorphisms is an isomorphism, and if both
isomorphisms leave the elements of K fixed, then so does the composite, so G satisfies
the closure property. Composition of functions is always associative, and the identity
mapping certainly belongs to G. The last thing to show is that G is closed under
formation of inverses. If G, then 1 is certainly an automorphism of F , and for
all x K we have 1 (x) = 1 ((x)) = x.