88 CHAPTER 4.

MODULES

4.6 Modules over a Principal Ideal Domain

Let R be a principal ideal domain (PID), A an R-module, and F a free R-module.
Ex. An finitely generated abelian group is isomorphic to
k
M t
M
Zr ⊕ Zpsi and Zr ⊕ Zrj
i
i=1 j=1

for some primes pi , r, k, si , rj ∈ N, and 1 < r1 | r2 | · · · | rt .

Thm 4.22. Let F be a free R-module and G a submodule of F . Then G is a free R-module
and rank G ≤ rank F .
Cor 4.23. If an R-module A is generated by n elements, then every submodule of A may be
generated by m elements with m ≤ n.
Cor 4.24. An R-module A is free iff A is projective.
Lem 4.25. For a ∈ A, denote Oa := {r ∈ R | ra = 0}.
1. Oa is an ideal of R.

2. At := {a ∈ A | Oa 6= 0} is a submodule, called the torsion submodule of A.

Ora ⊃ Oa and Oa+b ⊃ Oa ∩ Ob

for r ∈ R and a, b ∈ A.

3. For a ∈ A there is an isomorphism of left modules

R/Oa ' Ra = {ra | r ∈ R}.

Remark.
1. A is a torsion module if A = At ; A is torsion-free if At = 0.

2. Every free module is torsion-free. However, a non finitely generated torsion-free module
may not be free (e.g. the Z-module Q).

3. For a ∈ A, if Oa = (r), then Ra ' R/Oa = R/(r) is said to be cyclic of order r.

Thm 4.26. If A is finitely generated, then A is torsion-free iff A is free.
Thm 4.27. If A is finitely generated, then A = At ⊕ F , where F ' A/At is a free R-module
of finite rank.
4.6. MODULES OVER A PRINCIPAL IDEAL DOMAIN 89

Let us invesetigate the torsion part of A.

Lem 4.28. Let A be a torsion module. For each prime p ∈ R, let

A(p) := {a ∈ A | a has order a power of p}.

1. A(p) ≤ A for each prime p ∈ R;

X
2. A = A(p). If A is finitely generated, only finitely many A(p) are nonzero.
p prime

Lem 4.29 (Chinese Remainder Theorem). If r = pn1 1 · · · pnk k where pi are distinct primes in
R, then
Mk
R/(r) ' R/(pni i ) as left R-modules.
i=1

Lem 4.30. Let p ∈ R be a prime. Let A be finitely generated such that every nonzero element
of A has the order a power of p. Then A is a direct sum of cyclic R-modules of orders
pn1 , · · · , pnk for some n1 ≥ n2 ≥ · · · ≥ nk ≥ 1.

The classification theorem of finitely generated modules over a PID is:

Thm 4.31. Let R be a PID, and A a finitely generated R-module.

1.
t
M
r
A'R ⊕ R/(rj )
j=1

where r1 , · · · , rt are (not necessary distinct) nonzero nonunit elements of R such that
r1 | r2 | · · · | rt . The rank r and the list of ideals (r1 ), · · · , (rt ) are uniquely determined
by A. The elements r1 , · · · , rt are called the invariant factors of A.

2.
k
M
A ' Rr ⊕ R/(psi i ),
i=1

where r ∈ N, p1 , · · · , pk are (not necessary distinct) primes in R and s1 , · · · , sk are (not

necessary distinct) positive integers. The rank r and the list of ideals (ps11 ), · · · , (pskk )
are uniquely determined by A. The elements ps11 , · · · , pskk are called the elementary
divisors of A.

Cor 4.32. Two finitely generated R-modules A and B are isomorphic iff A/At and B/Bt have
the same rank and A and B have the same invariant factors [resp. elementary divisors].