SECOND SEMESTER – 2019-20

MTH 611A — ASSIGNMENT – I

1. Show that a finite extension is algebraic.

2. Prove that an algebraically closed field is infinite.

3. Let F be a field and let F0 be the subfield of F generated by {1}. Show that either
F0 ≃ Fp or F0 ≃ Q. (F0 is called the prime subfield of F .)
√ √ √ √ √ √
4. Show
√ √that 2 ∈
̸ Q( 3) and Q( 3, 2) = Q( 2 + 3). Hence find the mmp of
2 + 3 over Q.
√ √ √
5. Show that dimQ (Q( 2, 31/3 ) = 6 and Q( 2, 31/3 ) = Q( 2 + 31/3 ).

6. (Wilson’s Lemma) Show that if p is a prime then (p − 1)! ≡ −1(mod p).

7. Construct irreducible polynomials of degrees 2, 3, 4, 5 over F2 .

8. Find the dimension of the splitting field of each of polynomials x4 + 1, x6 + 1, x4 −

2, x5 − 1, x6 + x3 + 1 ∈ Q over Q.

9. Show that for every positive integer n there exists an irreducible polynomial of degree
n over Fp .

10. Let f : R −→ R be a field homomorphism. Show that f is identity.

11. Let f (x) ∈ Z[x] be a monic polynomial having a rational root a. Show that a ∈ Z.
n
12. Let K denote the algebraic closure of Fp . Let Kn = {a ∈ K | ap = a}. Show that
K = ∪∞ n=1 Kn .
√ √ √ √
13. Let ϕ : Q( 2) −→ Q( 2) be given by ϕ(a + b 2) = a − b 2, a, b ∈ Q. Show that ϕ
is a Q-linear automorphism.

14. Let n ∈ Z. Show that x3 − nx + 2 is irreducible over Q for n ̸= −1, 3, 5.

15. Let n ∈ Z. Show that x5 − nx − 1 is irreducible for n ̸= −1, 0, 2.

16. Give examples of fields containing 4, 8, 9, & 27 elements.

17. Find the minimal polynomial of 1 + i over Q.

√ √ √
18. Find dimQ Q(α) where α = 2 + 3 or α = 1 + 3 2 + ( 3 2)2 .

19. Let F be a field of characteristic

√ √ ̸= 2. Let D1 , D2 ∈ F , neither of which is a square
in F . Prove that K = F ( D1 , D2 ) is of degree 4 if D1 D2 is not a square in F . If
D1 D2 is a square in F then K is of degree 2 over F . (if K is of degree 4 over F then
it is called a biquadratic extension of F .)

20. Let F be a field of characteristic ̸= 2. Let√a, b ∈ F such that b is not a square in F .

√ √ √
Show that there exist m, n ∈ F such that a + b = m + n iff a2 − b is a square
in F .
√ √
21. Find the degree of the extension Q( 3 + 2 2) over Q.