Topics in algebra

Solutions to midterm
All rings are commutative with identity.
Total credits: 110.
(1) (6pts) Prove that
n1
2
n
Z = 0.
Proof. Let I =
n1
2
n
Z. Since Z is a P.I.D., I = mZ for some integer
m. However 2
n
|m for every n. Therefore m = 0.
(2) (6pts) If I and J are co-maximal in a ring R, then IJ = I J.
Proof. I J = (I J)(I +J) = (I J)I +(I J)J JI +IJ = IJ.
(3) (6pts) Prove that Z
p
n

= Z/(p
n
) n 2 is a local ring.
Proof. Since the maximal ideals of Z/(p
n
) are of the form m/(p
n
),
where m is a maximal ideal of Z that contains (p
n
), m = (p). Therefore
Z/(p
n
) is a local ring with the unique maximal ideal (p)/(p
n
).
(4) (6pts) Give an example of a ring R with only two maximal ideals m
1
and m
2
such that m
1
m
2
= (0).
Solution: Let R = Z
6
, m
1
= 2R and m
2
= 3R; then m
i
is a maximal
ideal of R for every i and m
1
m
2
= (0).
(5) (6pts) Let a be a nilpotent element of a ring R. Prove that 1 a is a
unit.
Proof. Since a is nilpotent, there is an integer n such that a
n
= 0.
Moreover, as (1 a)(1 +a + +a
n1
) = 1 a
n
= 1, we see that 1 a
is a unit.
(6) (8pts) Find all solutions of the equations: x 1 (mod 3), x 2 (mod 7)
and x 4 (mod 11).
Solution: Since
154 1 (mod 3) 154 0 (mod 7) 154 0 (mod 11),
33 0 (mod 3) 33 2 (mod 7) 33 0 (mod 11)
and
147 0 (mod 3) 147 0 (mod 7) 147 4 (mod 11),
{37 + 231k | k Z} are solutions of the equations.
1
(7) (12pts) Let R = {a+b

10 | a, b Z} be the sub-ring of R and N : R

Z be the map given by N(a+b

10) = (a+b

10)(ab

10) = a
2
10b
2
.
Prove the following:
(i) 2, 3, 4 +

10, 4

10 are irreducible elements of R.

(ii) 2, 3, 4 +

10, 4

10 are not prime elements of R.

(iii) R is not a U.F.D..
Proof. Notice that a
2
2 (mod 10) and a
2
3 (mod 10) have no
solution, therefore if = a + b

10 then N() = 2 and N() = 3.

(i). We prove that 2 is irreducible as an example: If 2 = for some
, R, then N() is a factor of 4, so that N() = 1 or N() = 4
from the above, it follows that is a unit or is a unit.
(ii). We prove that 2 is not a prime element as an example: Notice that
4

10 / (2) as 6 is not a factor of 4. Moreover, (4+

10)(4

10) =
6 (2), therefore (2) is not a prime ideal.
(iii). Sine 2 is irreducible and is not a prime element, R is not a U.F.D..
(8) (6pts) Prove that if R is a P.I.D., then so is R
S
, where S is a multiplica-
tive closed subset of R.
Proof. Let J be an ideal of R
S
; then J
ce
= J. Since R is a P.I.D.,
J
c
= (a)R for some a R, therefore J = (a)R
S
.
(9) (8pts) Let M be a nite length R-module and P is a prime ideal of R
but not maximal. Prove that there is no monomorphism from R/P to
M.
Proof. If not, R/P can be viewed as a submodule of M and therefore is
of nite length. However, l
R
(R/P) = , as (a) +P/P (a
2
) +P/P
is an innite series of submodules of R/P, where a / P is not a
unit.
(10) (10pts) Find l
Z
(Z/240Z) and l
Z
(Z/300Z).
Solution: l
Z
(Z/240Z) = 6 as
0 120Z/240Z 60Z/240Z 30Z/240Z 15Z/240Z 5Z/240Z Z/240Z,
120Z/240Z

= Z/2Z,
60Z/240Z
120Z/240Z

= Z/2Z,
30Z/240Z
60Z/240Z

= Z/2Z,
15Z/240Z
30Z/240Z

=
Z/2Z,
5Z/240Z
15Z/240Z

= Z/3Z and
Z/240Z
5Z/240Z

= Z/5Z.
2
l
Z
(Z/300Z) = 5 as
0 100Z/300Z 50Z/300Z 25Z/300Z 5Z/300Z Z/300Z,
100Z/300Z

= Z/3Z,
50Z/300Z
100Z/300Z

= Z/2Z,
25Z/300Z
50Z/300Z

= Z/2Z,
5Z/300Z
25Z/300Z

=
Z/5Z and
Z/300Z
5Z/300Z

= Z/5Z.
(11) (5pts) Let p be a prime number and let Z(p

) be the subset of the

additive group Q/Z:
Z(p

) = {a/b Q/Z | a, b Z, b = p
i
for some i 0}.
Prove that Z(p

) is a divisible abelian group.

Proof. Let a/b Z(p

) and n N. Write n = p
k
m and b = p
i
, where
(m, p) = 1. Find c, d Z such that cm+dp
i
= a. Then c/bp
k
Z(p

)
with n c/bp
k
= cm/b = a/b.
(12) (8pts) Let f : N M be an R-homomorphism and f
m
: N
m
M
m
is an epi-morphism for every maximal ideal m of R; then f is an epi-
morphism.
Proof. Since N
f
M

M/Imf 0 is exact, where is the
canonical epi-morphism, N
m
f
m
M
m

m
(M/Imf)
m
0 is exact
for every maximal ideal m. By assumption, (M/Imf)
m
= 0 for every
maximal ideal m. Therefore M/Imf = 0 and f is an epi-morphism.
(13) (4pts) Find n so that Z
120
Z
80

= Z
n
.
Solution: Since Z
m
Z
k

= Z
d
, where d is g.c.d. of m and k, n = 40.
(14) (8pts) Let Q
1
and Q
2
be P-primary ideal, where P is a prime ideal.
Prove that

Q
1
Q
2
= P and Q
1
Q
2
is P-primary.
Proof. We rst show that P =

Q
1
Q
2
. It is clear that

Q
1
Q
2

P. Let a P; then a
n
Q
1
and a
n
Q
2
for suciently large n, so
that a

Q
1
Q
2
.
To nish the proof, it remains to show that Q
1
Q
2
is P-primary. For
this, let ab Q
1
Q
2
with a / P. Since Q
1
and Q
2
are P-primary
b Q
1
and b Q
2
.
3
(15) (6pts) Prove that if R is a P.I.D., then the quotient eld of R is an
injective R-module.
Proof. Let I be a non-zero ideal of R and f : I K be an R-
homomorphism, where K is the quotient eld of R. Since R is a P.I.D.,
I = (a) for some a. Let f(a) =
c
d
for some c, d R. Let g : R
K be the map given by g(b) =
cb
da
; then it is clear that g is an R-
homomorphism and is an extension of f.
(16) (5pts) Prove that if E
1
and E
2
are injective R-modules then so is
E
1
E
2
.
Proof. Let I be an ideal of R and f : I E
1
E
2
be an R-
homomorphism. Let
j
: E
1
E
2
E
j
be the canonical epi-morphism
and i
j
: E
j
E
1
E
2
be the canonical monomorphism, where
j = 1, 2. Since E
j
is injective and
j
f is an R-homomorphism from
from I to E
j
, there are R-homomorphisms g
j
: R E
j
, j = 1, 2
such that g
j
is an extension of
j
f. Let g : R E
1
E
2
be the
map given by g(r) = (g
1
(r), g
2
(r)); then it is easy to check that g is an
R-homomorphism and is an extension of f.
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