Topics in Algebra Assignments 10/18

105201010
張誌麟

Exercise 5.9. Determine which of the chain conditions, if any, are satisfied in each of the
following modules:
(4) Q as a Q-module.
(8) Q[X]/M as a Q[X]-module, where M is a proper submodule.

Solution.
(4) We show that Q is Noetherian and Artinian. Let M be a non-zero submodule of Q.
Let m ∈ M be non-zero and let x ∈ Q. Then x = m x
· m ∈ M since m x
∈ Q and M is a
Q-module. Hence Q ⊆ M and so M = Q. Thus Q is a simple module, which implies that
Q has a Jordan-Höder tower. Therefore Q is Noetherian and Artinian by Theorem 5.9.
(8) Let M be a proper submodule of Q[X]. If M = 0, then Q[X]/M ∼ = Q[X], which is
Noetherian but not Artinian by Exercise 5.9.(7). Hence we assume that M is a proper
non-trivial submodule of Q[X]. Then we show that Q[X]/M is Noetherian and Artinian.
Recall that if F is a field, then F[X] is a PID; if R is a PID, then since every R-submodule
M of R is an ideal of R, M is a cyclic module, that is, M is generated by a single element.
Since Q[X] is a PID, M is cyclic, say M = ⟨f ⟩. By the Correspondence Theorem, every
Q[X]-submodule of Q[X]/⟨f ⟩ is of the form N /⟨f ⟩ where N is a Q[X]-submodule of Q[X]
containing ⟨f ⟩. Again, since Q[X] is a PID, N is cyclic, say N = ⟨g⟩. Since ⟨f ⟩ ⊆ N = ⟨g⟩,
g divides f in Q[X] and so deg(g) ≤ deg(f ). If deg(g) = deg(f ), then g is a constant
multiple of f ; in this case, ⟨g⟩/⟨f ⟩ = ⟨0⟩/⟨f ⟩. Hence we may assume that every submodule
of Q[X]/⟨f ⟩ is of the form ⟨g⟩/⟨f ⟩ where g divides f in Q[X] with deg(g) < deg(f ). In the
case that g ̸= 0, we may further assume that g is monic.
By Exercise 5.9.(7), Q[X] is Noetherian and so Q[X]/⟨f ⟩ is Noetherian. More directly, we
show that every submodule of Q[X]/⟨f ⟩ is finitely generated. But if ⟨g⟩/⟨f ⟩ is a submodule
of Q[X]/⟨f ⟩, then it is generated by the element g + ⟨f ⟩ ∈ ⟨g⟩/⟨f ⟩.
To prove that Q[X]/⟨f ⟩ is Artinian, we show that Q[X]/⟨f ⟩ satisfies the minimum con-
dition. Let C be a non-empty set of submodules of Q[X]/⟨f ⟩. Choose ⟨g⟩/⟨f ⟩ in C with
g is of the maximum degree, which can be done as deg(g) < deg(f ) for every submodule
⟨g⟩/⟨f ⟩ of Q[X]/⟨f ⟩. We claim that ⟨g⟩/⟨f ⟩ is a minimal element in C . Let ⟨h⟩/⟨f ⟩ ∈ C
with 0 ( ⟨h⟩/⟨f ⟩ ⊆ ⟨g⟩/⟨f ⟩. Then ⟨h⟩ ⊆ ⟨g⟩ and so g divides h in Q[X] . Since h ̸= 0, we
have deg(g) ≤ deg(h). By the maximality of deg(g), we must have g = h since g and h are
monic. Hence ⟨h⟩/⟨f ⟩ = ⟨g⟩/⟨f ⟩. Therefore Q[X]/⟨f ⟩ satisfies the minimum condition and
so Q[X]/⟨f ⟩ is Artinian.

There is another more natural approach for Exercise 5.9.(8), which needs the following
propositions:
Proposition A. Let R be a PID and I be a non-trivial ideal of R. Then R/I is Noetherian
and Artinian as a ring.

Proof. Since R is a PID, it is Noetherian and so R/I is Noetherian. To show that R/I is
Artinian, let
I1 /I ⊇ I2 /I ⊇ · · · ⊇ In /I ⊇ · · ·
be a chain of ideals of R/I, where Ii ’s are ideals of R containing I. Since R is a PID, there
exist a and ai in R such that I = ⟨a⟩ and Ii = ⟨ai ⟩ for each i. Suppose the chain doesn’t
stabilize. We may assume that Ii ) Ii+1 for each i. Then ai is a proper divisor of ai+1 . By
the Unique Factorization Theorem, ai+1 has more prime factors (counted with multiplicity)
than ai . Since ai divides a for all i, it follows that a = 0, as otherwise a would has infinitely
many prime factors. Thus I = ⟨a⟩ = 0, a contradiction.

1
Proposition B. Let R be a commutative ring with 1 and let I be an ideal of R. If M is
Noetherian/Artinian as an R/I module, then M is Noetherian/Artinian as R-module. The
converse is true if I ⊆ Ann(M ).

Proof. It can be verified directly by definition.

Another proof of Exercise 5.9.(8). We first recall that if R is a commutative ring with 1,
then
(1) M is an R-submodule of R if and only if M is an ideal of R.
(2) R is a Noetherian/Artinian ring if and only if R is a Noetherian/Artinian module over
itself.

Let M be a proper non-trivial submodule of Q[X]. Then M is a non-trivial ideal of Q[X].

Since Q[X] is a PID, Q[X]/M is both Noetherian and Artinian as a ring by Proposition A.
Then Q[X]/M is Noetherian and Artinian as Q[X]/M -module. By Proposition B, Q[X]/M
is Noetherian and Artinian as Q[X]-module.

Exercise 5.11. For a given prime p let

{ }
k
Qp = x ∈ Q : (∃k ∈ Z)(∃n ∈ N) x = n .
p
Show that the Z-module Qp /Z is Artinian but not Noetherian.

Solution. Let H be a proper submodule of Qp /Z. Then there are integers k and n such that
gcd(k, p) = 1 and pkn + Z ∈
/ H. Let t be the smallest such n, then pst + Z ∈ / H for some
s ∈ Z. We claim that
1 2 pt−1 − 1
H = {0 + Z, + Z, + Z, . . . , + Z} := Ct .
pt−1 pt−1 pt−1
By the minimality of t, Ct ⊆ H. On the other hand, note that p1t + Z ∈ / H, as otherwise
pt + Z = s( pt + Z) ∈ H, a contradiction. It implies that pt + Z ∈ / H for all k ∈ Z with
s 1 k

gcd(k, p) = 1, as otherwise since gcd(k, p) = 1, there are integers a and b such that ak + bp =
1. Then p1t + Z = ak+bp pt + Z = a( pkt + Z) + ( pt−1
b
+ Z) ∈ H, a contradiction. It follows
that pn ∈
k
/ H for all integers k, n with (k, p) = 1 and n ≥ t, as otherwise if n ≥ t, then
pt + Z = p ( pn + Z) ∈ H, a contradiction. Therefore H ⊆ Ct .
k n−t k

Now we show that Qp /Z is Artinian. Let C be a non-empty set of submodules of Qp /Z.

To verify the minimum condition, we may assume that all submodules of Qp /Z in C is
proper. By claim, we may choose the smallest t such that Ct ∈ C . Then Ct is the minimum
element in C , which follows from the fact that Ct ⊆ Cr if and only if t ≤ r. Hence Qp /Z
satisfies the minimum condition and so Qp /Z is Artinian.
Qp /Z is not Noetherian since it doesn’t satisfy the ACC. In fact, the ascending chain of
submodules of Qp /Z
0 = C1 ( C2 ( · · · ( Cn ( · · ·

would not terminate.