1.
Show that the only irreducible polynomials in ℝ[𝑋] are the linear polynomials 𝑋 − 𝑎 or
the quadratic polynomials 𝑋 2 + 𝑏𝑋 + 𝑐 such that 𝑏 2 − 4𝑐 < 0, where 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 ∈ ℝ.
2. Let 𝑅, 𝑅′ be commutative rings and 𝑓: 𝑅 → 𝑅′ be a ring homomorphism. Show that
(a) If 𝑓 is surjective, 𝐼 is an ideal of 𝑅, then 𝑓(𝐼) is an ideal of 𝑅 ′
(b) If 𝐼′ is an ideal of 𝑅 ′ , then 𝑓 −1 (𝐼 ′ ) is an ideal of 𝑅.
3. Prove that every maximal ideal in a ring is always a prime ideal. Give an example of a
ring and a prime ideal of it, which is not maximal.
4. Show that an ideal 𝐼 in the ring ℤ of integers is a maximal ideal if and only if 𝐼 = 𝑝ℤ
where 𝑝 is a prime number.
5. Let 𝐹 be a field and 𝑓(𝑋), 𝑔(𝑋) ∈ 𝐹[𝑋], not both zero. Then prove that there is a unique
greatest common divisor 𝑑(𝑋) of 𝑓(𝑋) and 𝑔(𝑋). Furthermore, prove that there exist (not
necessarily unique) polynomials 𝑎(𝑥) and 𝑏(𝑥) such that 𝑑(𝑥) = 𝑎(𝑥)𝑓(𝑥) + 𝑏(𝑥)𝑔(𝑥).
6. Let 𝐹 be a field and let 𝑎 ∈ 𝐹 and let 𝑓(𝑋) ∈ 𝐹[𝑋]. Then 𝑎 is a zero of 𝑓(𝑋) if and only
𝑋 − 𝑎 is a factor of 𝑓(𝑋).
7. Define the center of a ring and prove that the center of ring is a subring of 𝑅.
8. Show that every element of a finite commutative ring is either a unit or a zero divisor.
Does this hold for non-commutative rings?
9. Prove that every element of ℤ/𝑛ℤ is either a unit or a zero divisor.
10. First/ Second and Third Isomorphism theorems
11. Let 𝐹 be a field and let 𝑓(𝑋), 𝑔(𝑋), ℎ(𝑋) ∈ 𝐹[𝑋]. If 𝑓(𝑋) is irreducible over 𝐹 and
𝑓(𝑋)| 𝑔(𝑋)ℎ(𝑋), then prove that 𝑓(𝑋)|𝑔(𝑋) or 𝑓(𝑋)|ℎ(𝑋).
12. Show that characteristic of a field is either zero or a prime number.
Problems
1. Prove that there is no integral domain with exactly six elements.
2. Prove that a ring ℤ[√2 ] = {𝑎 + 𝑏√2 ∶ 𝑎, 𝑏 ∈ ℤ} is an integral domain but not a field.
3. Is < 2 > a maximal ideal in ℤ[𝑖]? Justify your answer.
4. Let 𝑅, 𝑆 be commutative rings and 𝑓: 𝑅 → 𝑆 be an onto ring homomorphism. Prove that if
𝑃 is a prime ideal of 𝑆 then 𝑓 −1 (𝑃) is a prime ideal of 𝑅.
5. Let 𝐹 be a field and 𝑎, 𝑏, ∈ 𝐹 such that 𝑎 ≠ 0. Prove that 𝑓(𝑥) is irreducible in 𝐹[𝑥] if
and only if 𝑓(𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏) is irreducible in 𝐹[𝑥].
6. Prove that Z[X] is not a principal ideal domain.
7. . Let D be a Euclidean domain and let d be the associated function. Prove that u ∈ D is
a unit if and only if d(u) = d(1).
8. Let D be a Euclidean domain and let d be the associated function. Prove that if a and b
are associates in D, then d(a) = d(b).
9 . Let R = Z[√−5]. Determine the units in R. Further prove that 1 + 3√−5 is irreducible
but not prime in R.
13. Consider the ring Z[√d], where d is not 1 and is not divisible by square of any
number. Define N : Z[√d] → Z+ as 𝑁(𝑎 + 𝑏√𝑑) = |𝑎2 − 𝑑𝑏 2 |. Show that
If N(x) is prime then x is irreducible.
Solution-
⇒ 𝑣 is unit
Suppose 𝑁(𝑥) is prime
t.p.t 𝑥 is irreducible
Let 𝑥 = 𝑢𝑣
𝑁(𝑥) = 𝑁(𝑢𝑣) = 𝑁(𝑢)𝑁(𝑣)
𝑁(𝑢)𝑁(𝑣) = 𝑁(𝑥) = 𝑝(𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒)
Since N(u) and N(v) are positive integers
𝑁(𝑢) = 𝑝 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑁(𝑣) = 1 OR 𝑁(𝑢) = 1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑁(𝑣) = 𝑝
If 𝑁(𝑢) = 1
Let u = 𝑎 + 𝑏√𝑑
1 = 𝑁(𝑢) = 𝑎2 − 𝑑𝑏 2 = (𝑎 + 𝑏√𝑑)(𝑎 − 𝑏√𝑑)
⇒ 𝑢 is unit
If 𝑁(𝑣) = 1
14. Consider the ring Z[√d], where d is not 1 and is not divisible by square of any
number.
Define N : Z[√d] → Z+ as 𝑁(𝑎 + 𝑏√𝑑) = | 𝑎2 − 𝑑𝑏2|. Show that
(a) N(x) = 0 if and only if x = 0.
(b) N(xy) = N(x)N(y).
(c) N(x) = 1 if and only if x is unit.
Solution-
Consider the ring ℤ[√𝑑] where 𝑑 is not 1 and is not divisible by square of any number. Define
𝑁: ℤ[√𝑑] → ℤ+ as 𝑁(𝑎 + 𝑏√𝑑) = |𝑎2 − 𝑑𝑏 2 | Show that
(p) 𝑁(𝑥) = 0 if and only if 𝑥 = 0.
(q) 𝑁(𝑥𝑦) = 𝑁(𝑥)𝑁(𝑦)
Solution:
p) suppose 𝑥 = 0 + 0√𝑑 = 0
⇒ 𝑁(𝑥) = 02 − 𝑑02 = 0
Conversely: suppose 𝑁(𝑥) = 0
Let 𝑥 = 𝑎 + 𝑏√𝑑
𝑁(𝑥) = 𝑎2 − 𝑑𝑏 2 = 0
⇒ 𝑎 = 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏 = 0
q) 𝑥 = 𝑎 + 𝑏√𝑑 and y = u + v√𝑑
𝑁(𝑥𝑦) = 𝑁(𝑎𝑢 + 𝑏𝑣𝑑 + (𝑎𝑣 + 𝑏𝑢)√𝑑)
= (𝑎𝑢 + 𝑏𝑣𝑑)2 − (𝑎𝑣 + 𝑏𝑢)2
=𝑎2 𝑢2 + 𝑏2 𝑣 2 𝑑2 + 2𝑎𝑢𝑏𝑣𝑑 − 𝑎2 𝑣 2 𝑑 − 2𝑎𝑣𝑏𝑢𝑑 − 𝑏2 𝑢2 𝑑
=(𝑎2 − 𝑑𝑏2 )(𝑢2 − 𝑑𝑣 2 ) = 𝑁(𝑥)𝑁(𝑦)
