MATH 403: Homework Chapter 18 Proof Solutions

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1. For the ring Z[ d] define N : Z[ d] → Z+ by N a + b d = |a2 − db2 |.

(a) Prove that N (x) = 0 iff x = 0.

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Proof: Suppose x = a + b d.
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If x = 0 then a + b d = 0 so a = b = 0 so N (x) = 0.
If N (x) = 0 then N (x) = |a2 − db2 | = 0 so that a2 − db2 = 0. Clearly if a = 0 then b = 0
and vice versa, so what if neither are 0? Well then d = (a/b)2 and d is a perfect square,
which is impossible.
Note: It’s a fact that a/b is an integer because d = (a/b)2 is an integer.
(b) Prove that N (xy) = N (x)N (y).
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Proof: Assume x = a + b d and y = c + d d. Then
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N (xy) = N ((a + b d)(c + e d))
√
= N ((ac + bed) + (ae + bc) d)
= |(ac + bed)2 − d(ae + bc)2 |
= |(a2 c2 + 2abcde + b2 d2 e2 ) − d(a2 e2 + 2abce + b2 c2 )|
= |a2 c2 + b2 d2 e2 − a2 de2 + b2 c2 d|
= |(a2 − db2 )(c2 − de2 )|
= N (x)N (y)

(c) Prove that N (x) = 1 iff x is a unit.

Proof: If x is a unit then there is some y with xy = 1 so that N (x)N (y) = N (xy) =
N (1) = 1. The only possibility is then N (x) = 1.
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If N (x) = 1 for x = a + b d then |a2 − db2 | = 1. If a2 − db2 = +1 then the element
√ √ √
a + b d = aa+b d 2 2
2 −db2 is the inverse of x and if a − db = −1 then the element −a − b d=
√
a+b d
a2 −db2 is the inverse of x.
(d) Prove that N (x) prime implies x is irreducible.
Proof: Assume x is not irreducible, so x = yz with neither y nor z a unit. Then
N (x) = N (yz) = N (y)N (z) but since N (y) and N (z) are not 1 we must have N (x) not
prime.

2. In the ring Z [i]

(a) Prove that 3 is irreducible.

Proof: To show that 3 is irreducible suppose 3 = xy. We claim that one of these is a
unit. Taking the norm of each side yields 9 = N (x)N (y). Suppose N (x) = 3, then for
x = a + bi we have |a2 + b2 | = 3 but this is not possible for integers a and b. Therefore
N (x) 6= 3 meaning one of N (x) and N (y) is 1 and the other is 9 and hence one is a unit.
(b) Prove that 2 is not irreducible.
Proof: Note that 2 = (1 + i)(1 − i), all we need to verify is that neither is a unit. Well,
N (1 + i) = 2 6= 1 so 1 + i is not a unit. Same for 1 − i.
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3. In the ring Z 5
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(a) Prove that 1 + 5 is not prime.
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Proof: To show that 1+ 5 is not prime note that 1+ 5(1+ 5)(1− 5) = −4 = 2(−2).
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If 1 + 52 then (1 + 5)(a + b 5) = 2 yielding a + 5b = 2 and a + b = 0 which gives
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a = − 12 which is impossible. A similar argument holds if 1 + 5 − 2.
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(b) Prove that 1 + 5 is irreducible (tricky).
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Proof: To show that 1 + 5 is irreducible suppose 1 + 5 = xy so then 4 = N √ (x)N (y).
Since neither is a unit we must have both N (x) = N (y) = 2. Suppose x = a + b 5, then
|a2 − 5b2 | = 2 and so a2 − 5b2 = ±2. We need to show this can’t happen.
Look at whether a and b are even or odd. If a is even and b is odd then a = 2k and
b = 2j + 1 and then a2 − 5b2 = (2k)2 − 5(2j + 1)2 = 4k 2 − 20j 2 − 20j − 5 is odd hence
not ±2.
If a is odd and b is even then a = 2k+1 and b = 2j and then a2 −5b2 = (2k+1)2 −5(2j)2 =
4k 2 + 4k + 1 − 20j 2 is odd hence not ±2.
If both are even then a = 2k and b = 2j and then a2 − 5b2 = (2k)2 − 5(2j)2 = 4k 2 − 20j 2
is a multiple of 4 hence not ±2.
If both are odd then a = 2k +1 and b = 2j +1 and then a2 −5b2 = (2k +1)2 −5(2j +1)2 =
4k 2 + 4k + 1 − 20j 2 − 20j − 5 = 4k 2 + 4k − 20j 2 − 20j − 4 is a mulple of 4 hence not ±2.
Note: There are other ways to show this not possible, some of them easier!
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4. Prove that Z −6 is not a Unique Factorization Domain. You do not need to prove the
various supporting facts but state them clearly and make sure they’re correct.
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Proof: Observe that 10 = (2)(5) = (2 + −6)(2 − −6). It is necessary that we show that
these are all irreducibles and that the factorizations are not just changes in associates.
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Recall that N (a + b −6) = |a2 + 6b2 |.
If 2 is reducible then 2 = αβ (with√neither a unit) and so then 4 = N (2) = N (α)N (β) with
N (α) = N (β) = 2 but if α = a + b −6 then N (α) = |a2 + 6b2 | = 2 which is impossible.
If 5 is reducible then 5 = αβ (with√neither a unit) and so then 25 = N (5) = N (α)N (β) with
N (α) = N (β) = 5 but if α = a + b −6 then N (α) = |a2 + 6b2 | = 5 which is impossible.
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Since N (2 ± −6) = 5 is prime (in the regular sense) we know 2 ± −6 is irreducible.
Now recall that α and β are associates√if α = βu with u a unit. But then N (α) = N (β)N (u) =
N (β). However N (2) = 4 and N (2 ± −6) = 5 so this is not just a change in associates.