34

CHAPTER 7. INTRODUCING ALGEBRAIC NUMBER THEORY

[Because d comes from a nonarchimedian absolute value, it will satisfy the ultrametric inequality d(x, y ) max(d(x, z ), d(z, y )), which is stronger than the triangle inequality.] The process of constructing the real numbers by completing the rationals using equivalence classes of Cauchy sequences is familiar. The same process can be carried out using the p-adic absolute value rather than the usual absolute value on Q. The result is a complete metric space, the eld of p-adic numbers, in which Q is dense. Ostrowskis theorem says that the usual absolute value | | on Q, along with the p-adic absolute values | |p for all primes p, and the trivial absolute value (|0| = 0; |x| = 1 for x = 0), essentially exhaust all possibilities. To be more precise, two absolute values on a eld F are equivalent if the corresponding metrics on F induce the same topology. Any nontrivial absolute value on Q is equivalent to | | or to one of the | |p .

Problems For Section 7.9

1. Take p = 3, and compute the standard representation of (2 + p + p2 )(2 + p2 ) in two ways, using (1) and (2) of (7.9.1). Check the result by computing the product using ordinary multiplication of two integers, and then expanding in base p = 3. 2. Express the p-adic integer -1 as an innite series of the form (1), using the standard representation. 3. Show that every absolute value on a nite eld is trivial. 4. Show that an absolute value is archimedian i the set S = {|n| : n Z} is unbounded. 5. Show that a eld that has an archimedian absolute value must have characteristic 0. 6. Show that an innite series n . zn of p-adic numbers converges if and only if zn 0 as

7. Show that the sequence an = n! of p-adic integers converges to 0. 8. Does the sequence an = n converge in Qp ?