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Problem Sheet 7

This document outlines problems for an Algebra 1A course, focusing on polynomials in various rings and their properties. It includes tasks related to monic polynomials, irreducibility, the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra, and primitive polynomials. Students are required to submit their work by a specified deadline.

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hollis.chung93
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0 views2 pages

Problem Sheet 7

This document outlines problems for an Algebra 1A course, focusing on polynomials in various rings and their properties. It includes tasks related to monic polynomials, irreducibility, the Fundamental Theorem of Algebra, and primitive polynomials. Students are required to submit their work by a specified deadline.

Uploaded by

hollis.chung93
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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MA10209 Algebra 1A

Sheet 7 Problems: GCS

11-xi-13

The course website is http://people.bath.ac.uk/masgcs/diary.html

Hand in work to your tutor by 17:15, Monday Nov 18.

1. A polynomial ni=0 ai X i is monic if an = 1. We will work in R[X], the ring of


P
polynomials in X with coefficients in R. In each case, is the given statement
true or false?

(a) The zero polynomial is monic.


(b) The sum of two monic polynomials is monic.
(c) The difference of two monic polynomials is monic.
(d) The product of two monic polynomials is monic.
(e) Every polynomial is a product of a non-zero real number and a monic
polynomial.

2. Work in Q[X]. Divide X 5 + 4X + 1 by X 2 + 1 to leave a remainder of smallest


possible degree. Expressed more formally, find polynomials q, r ∈ Q[X] with
deg r < 2 such that X 5 + 4X + 1 = q · (X 2 + 1) + r.

3. Let R be a ring. A polynomial f ∈ R[X] of positive degree is called irreducible


if whenever g, h ∈ R[X] are such that f = gh, then either g or h has degree 0
(i.e. is a non-zero constant). Let f1 = X 2 − 2 and f2 = X 2 + 2.

(a) Is either f1 or f2 irreducible, viewed as an element of Q[X]?


(b) Is either f1 or f2 irreducible, viewed as an element of R[X]?
(c) Is either f1 or f2 irreducible, viewed as an element of C[X]?

4. Suppose that ζ ∈ C. By considering ζ + ζ and ζζ, prove that there is f ∈ R[X]


of degree 2 such that f (ζ) = 0 (i.e. ζ is a root of f ).
5. The Fundamental Theorem of Algebra states that if f ∈ C[X] and deg f > 0,
then there is α ∈ C such that f (α) = 0. A proof of this result is beyond
the scope of this course, but assume it for the purposes of this question. The
remainder theorem may be helpful in parts of the following problems.

(a) Prove that every irreducible polynomial in C[X] has degree 1.


(b) Prove that every irreducible polynomial in R[X] has degree at most 2.
(c) Suppose that f ∈ C[X] has degree n ≥ 1. Prove that f has at most n
roots in C.
(d) Suppose that f ∈ R[X] has degree n ≥ 1. Prove that f has at most n
roots in R.

6. Suppose that R is a ring. Show that R is an integral domain if, and only if,
R[X] is an integral domain.

7. A polynomial f ∈ Z[X] is called primitive if the gcd of its coefficients is 1.


Prove that the product of two primitive polynomials is primitive. This is due
to Gauss. You might approach the proof like this. Suppose, for contradiction,
that a prime number p is a common divisor of the coefficients of the product
of two primitive polynomials. Now interpret this fact in Zp [X] and become
concerned.

8. Suppose that f ∈ Z[X] and f 6= 0. We define the content c(f ) of f to be the


gcd of the coefficients of f .

(a) Prove that f = c(f )fb where fb ∈ Z[X] and fb is primitive.


(b) Prove that if n ∈ N and f ∈ Z[X] is primitive, then c(nf ) = n.
(c) Suppose that m, n are positive integers, and that f, g ∈ Z[X] are primitive
polynomials. Suppose that mf = ng. Prove that m = n and f = g.
(d) Prove that if f, g ∈ Z[X] and f 6= 0 6= g, then c(f g) = c(f )c(g).
(e) Harder, use previous parts cleverly. Suppose that f ∈ Z[X]. Prove that f
is irreducible in Z[X] if, and only if, f is irreducible in Q[X].

9. Suppose that f = a0 + a1 X + · · · + an X n ∈ Z[X] and that there is a prime p


such that p does not divide a0 , but p divides ai for 1 ≤ i ≤ n but p2 does not
divide an . Prove that f is irreducible in Q[X]. Use Problem 8(e), and worry
about what happens in Zp [X].

10. (Challenge!) Find all f ∈ R[X] such that q ∈ Q if, and only if, f (q) ∈ Q.

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