MASTERS EXAMINATION IN MATHEMATICS

PURE MATHEMATICS OPTION

FALL 2007

Full points can be obtained for correct answers to 8 questions. Each numbered question
(which may have several parts) is worth the same number of points. All answers will be
graded, but the score for the examination will be the sum of the scores of your best 8
solutions.
Use separate answer sheets for each question. DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME ON
YOUR ANSWER SHEETS. When you have finished, insert all your answer sheets into
the envelope provided, then seal and print your name on it.
Any student whose answers need clarification may be required to submit to an oral
examination.

PURE MATHEMATICS OPTION

FALL 2007

Algebra
A1. Find the number of elements of order 7 in a simple group of order 168.
Solution: Let G be a simple group of order 168 = 23 37. The number of Sylow
7-subgroups n7 divides 23 3 = 24 and has the form n7 = 7` + 1 by the Sylow Theorems.
Therefore n7 = 1 or n7 = 8. Since G is simple, n7 6= 1; else G would have a normal
subgroup of order 7. Therefore n7 = 8.
Every element of order 7 is in a Sylow 7-subgroup, each such subgroup has 6 elements
of order 7, and two different Sylow 7-subgroups have no elements in common except
for (e). Therefore there are 86 = 48 elements of order 7 in G.
A2. Let D be an integral domain.
(a) Suppose that f (x), g(x) D[x] are not zero. Show that
Deg(f (x)g(x)) = Degf (x) + Degg(x).
(b) Show that the ideal I = (x + 1, 7) of Z[x] is not principal.
(c) Show that the quotient Z[x]/I is a field. How many elements does it have?
Solution: (a) Since f (x), g(x) 6= 0, we may write f (x) = a0 + am xm and g(x) =
b0 + +an xn , where am , bn 6= 0. Thus f (x)g(x) = a0 b0 +(a0 b1 +a1 b0 )x+ +am bn xm+n .
Since D is an integral domain am bn 6= 0. Therefore Deg f (x)g(x) = m+n = Deg f (x)+
Deg g(x).
(b) Suppose that I = (x + 1, 7) is principal and let p(x) Z[x] be a generator. Then
p(x) divides 7 which means that p(x) = 1, 7 by part (a), and thus since p(x) divides
x + 1 it follows that p(x) = 1 by the same. Therefore I = Z[x]. But I is proper; the
image of I under the reduction of scalars map : Z[x] Z7 [x] has image (x + 1),
which is a proper ideal of Z7 [x], contradiction. Therefore I is not principal.
(c) Note there is a ring homomorphism : Z[x] Z7 determined by (n) = n + 7Z
and (x) = 1. Note that is onto and x + 1, 7 Ker . Since I has at most 7 cosets,
induces an isomorphism Z[x]/I ' Z7 . Therefore the former has 7 elements.
A3. Show that a finite integral domain D is a field. [Hint: For a non-zero a D consider
the function f : D D defined by f (x) = ax for all x D.]

Solution: Suppose a D is not zero. We must show that a has a multiplicative inverse
in D. Consider the function f : D D defined by f (x) = ax for all x D. Then f is
one-one; for if x, x0 D and f (x) = f (x0 ) then ax = ax0 or equivalently a(x x0 ) = 0 from
which x x0 = 0 since D is an integral domain and a 6= 0.
Since f is one-one and D is finite, f must be onto. Therefore f (x) = 1 for some x D.
We have shown ax = 1. Since xa = ax we conclude that a has a two-sided inverse in D.

Complex Analysis
C1. Determine the number of zeroes (with multipicities) of the polynomial f (z) = z 4 +
5z 3 + 11 inside the circle |z| = 2.
Solution: We may write f (z) = g(z) + h(z), where g(z) = 5z 3 and h(z) = z 4 + 11.
On the circle |z| = 2 we have |g(z)| = 40 and |h(z)| 24 + 11 = 27. In particular
|h(z)| < |g(z)| on the circle, and so by Rouches theorem, f (z) has the same number of
zeroes inside the circle, counted with multiplicity, as g. It is clear that g(z) has a zero
of order 3 at 0 and no other zeroes. Hence f (z) has three zeroes (with multiplicity)
inside the circle.
C2. Let R be any real number > 1, and let S denote the semi-circle |z| = R, =(z) 0,
described counterclockwise. Set
Z
eiz
dz.
I=
2
S z +1
(a) Show that
|I|

2R
.
R2 1

(b) Use residue calculus to find the exact value of

Z R
eit
I+
dt.
2
R t + 1
Solution:
(a) For any point z = x+iy in S we have |eiz | = ey 1 and |z 2 +1| |z 2 ||1| = R2 1.
iz
Hence | ze2 +1 | R211 for any z in S. It follows that
2R
1

lengthS
=
.
R2 1
R2 1

|I|
(b) We have
Z

I+
R

eit
dt =
t2 + 1
3

Z
D

eiz
dz,
z2 + 1

where D is the closed contour made up of the semi-circle S and the interval [R, R]
described from left to right. The only pole of the integrand
eiz
eiz
=
z2 + 1
(z i)(z + i)
enclosed by D occurs at z = i and has residue
eii
e1
=
.
(i + i)
2i
Hence the integral is equal to e .
C3. Let U denote the open set in the complex plane consisting of all complex numbers which
are not on the non-positive real axis. Thus U includes all strictly positive numbers and
all complex numbers that are not real. Define conformal maps of U onto
(a) the upper half-plane =(z) 0, and
(b) the unit disk |z| < 1.
Solution:
(a) The map may be defined by z 7 iz 1/2 . Here z 1/2 denotes the principal branch of
the square root, defined to take the value r1/2 ei/2 when z = rei and < < .
(b) Here we may define the map by
z 7

z 1/2 1
.
z 1/2 + 1

This is the composition of the map in (a) with the conformal map
zi
z+i
from the upper half-plane to the unit disk.
z 7

Logic
L1. Propositional formulas F and G are truth equivalent, denoted F G, if their truth
value is the same for every truth evaluation of the variables. Show
((Q R) R) (R) ((P (Q S)) P )
without using truth tables.
Solution:
LHS ((Q R) R) ((Q R) R) (R)
RHS (R) ((P (Q S)) P ) (R)
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L2. Is the sentence

(xr(x, x)) (xyz((r(x, y) r(y, z)) r(x, z))) (xy r(x, y))
a) satisfiable?
b) satisfiable in a finite structure?
Solution:
a) YES: (N, <) is a model
b) NO: Assume that there is a finite model S and let a0 be any element. For every
i = 0, 1, . . ., let ai+1 be such that r(ai , ai+1 ) holds in S; such elements exist by the third
conjunct of the sentence. By the second conjunct, r(ai , aj ) holds for every i < j. As S
is finite, some elements in the sequence are repeated, i.e., ai = aj for some i < j, and
thus r(ai , ai ) holds in S for some i, contradicting the first conjunct.
L3. Is the following a valid argument?
(x r1 (x)) (x r2 (x))
x(r1 (x) r2 (x))
Solution: YES: Assume that the conclusion is false in some structure S. Then there
is an element a such that r1 (a) and r2 (a) hold in S. But then S |= (x r1 (x)) and
S |= (x r2 (x)), hence the premise is also false in S.

Number Theory
N1. Let p and q be odd primes, and suppose that p = 2q + 1. Prove that if a is a positive
integer with 1 < a < p 1, then p a2 is a primitive root modulo p.
Solution
(p) = 2q so x is a primitive root mod p iff x2 6 1 (mod p) and xq 6 1 (mod p). Now
(xq )2 1 (mod p), so
xq 6 1 xq 1 mod p
If x = p a2 , then xq (a2 )q = (1)q a2q = (1)q ap1 (1)q = 1 (mod p), since
q is odd, and so xq 6 1 (mod p).
Now x2 = (a2 )2 = a4 1 (mod p) if and only if a2 1 (mod p) or a2 1
(mod p). The only square roots a of 1 mod p between 1 and p 1 are 1 and p 1, but
1 < a < p 1, so a2 1 (mod p) is impossible. Since p = 2q + 1 and q is odd, p 3
(mod 4), and 1 is not a square mod p, so a2 1 (mod p) is also impossible. In fact,
a cannot have order 4 because 4 does not divide p 1, the order of the mutiplicative
group of integers mod p. Thus the second alternative is also impossible, and so p a2
is a primitive root.
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N2. a) Prove the Chinese Remainder Theorem:

If gcd(m, n) = 1, then for all pairs of integers (a, b) there is a unique c (mod mn) such
that:
c a (mod m)
c b (mod n)
Solution
Since gcd(m, n) = 1, we know that there are integers x, y such that:
xm + yn = 1
Note that this equation implies that
yn 1 (mod m)
xm 1 (mod n)
Then we can take c = xma + ynb, then:
xmb + yna yna a (mod m)
xmb + yna xmb b (mod n)
If c0 is another solution, then m|(cc0 ) and n|(cc0 ), and so mn|cc0 since gcd(m, n) =
1.
b) Solve the following system of congruences:
x 5 (mod 6)
7x 1 (mod 10)
7x 11 (mod 15)
Solution
Note that 7x 1 (mod 10) x 3 (mod 10), while 7x 11 (mod 15) x 8
(mod 15). (Note that gcd(7, 10) = gcd(7, 15) = 1.)
The lowest common multiple of {6, 10, 15} is 30, and the integers between 1 and 30
congruent to 5 mod 6 are {5, 11, 17, 23, 29} of which only 23 is congruent to 3 mod 10
and 8 mod 15.
Hence the solution is x 23 (mod 30)
N3. Let be the Euler totient or phi function.
a) Find (27075)
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Solution
27075 = 3 9025 = 3 5 1805 = 3 52 361 = 3 52 192 . Hence
(27075) = 2 (4 5) (18 19) = 13680
b) Find all integers n, such that (n) = 12. Be sure to justify your answer.
Solution
Note that p|n, p prime implies that (p 1)|(n), and since the divisors of 12 are
{1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12}, the possible primes dividing n are 2, 3, 5, 7, 13. Also, if pk divides n,
then pk1 (p 1) divides n, so the only p for which p2 |n is possible are 2 and 3, and the
only p for which p3 |n is possible is 2.
For each possible prime p dividing n, if pk is the largest power of p dividing n we have
a factorization n = pk m with gcd(p, m) = 1 and 12 = pk1 (p 1)(m).
Notice that if n is odd then (n) = (2n), and that using the same analysis as above
(i.e. checking for which primes p, p 1|(m)), we find that:
(m) = 1 m = 1 or 2
(m) = 2 m = 3 or 4
(m) = 3 is impossible
(m) = 6 m = 9 or 18
Putting this all together, we get that:
pk (pk ) (m)
m
n = pk m
13
12
1
1 or 2
13 or 26
7
6
2
3 or 4
21 or 28
5
4
3
is impossible
9
6
2
3 or 4
27 (impossible) or 36
3
2
6
9 or 18
gcd(m, n) 6= 1
8
4
3
impossible
4
2
6
9 or 18 (impossible)
36
2
1
12
m odd m = 13 or 21
26 or 42
Hence the possible values of n are {13, 21, 26, 28, 36, 42}

Real Analysis
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R1. Consider the power series

1
n=1 2n n

xn .

(i) For which values of x R does the series converge (absolutely? conditionally?)
(ii) Show that on [1, 1] the convergence is uniform.
n |x|
Solution (i) The ratio of the absolute value of two successive terms is n+1
which
2
|x|
tends to 2 as n . Hence the series converges absolutely for |x| < 2.
P1
, which diverges by comparison or the
If x = +2, the series is the harmonic series,
n
integral test. If x = 2 the series converges, but only conditionally, by the Leibnitz
test.

(ii) On [1, 1] the absolute value of the nth term, |an | 1/2n , a converging geometric
series, so the original series converges uniformly by the Weierstrass M-test.
R2. Let f be continuous on R. Given > 0 let
Z
1
f (x + t) dt.
g(x) =
2
(i) Prove g has a continuous derivative on R.
[Start with the change of variable u = x + t.]
(ii) Given a closed interval [a, b] and an > 0, show it is possible to choose > 0 so
that |g(x) f (x)| < for all x [a, b].
Solution (i) Substituting u = x + t in the integral we get
1
g(x) =
2

x+

f (u) du.
x

By the fundamental theorem of calculus, g 0 (x) = 21 {f (x + ) f (x )} which is

continuous.
R
R
(ii) |g(x) f (x)| = 21 | f (x + t) f (x) dt| 21 |f (x + t) f (x)| dt. Now f is
uniformly continuous on [a 1, b + 1], so given > 0, there is a with 0 < 1 such
that |t| = |f (x + t) f (x)| < . Therefore |g(x) f (x)| < for x [a, b].
R3. Let f : [0, 1) R be a differentiable function with |f 0 (x)| 2007 for all x [0, 1).
(i) For any sequence xn 1 with 0 xn < 1 prove that {f (xn )}
n=1 converges.
(ii) Deduce that a = limx1 f (x) exists, and so f extends to a continuous function
f : [0, 1] R.
8

Solution (i) By the mean value theorem, f (xn ) f (xm ) = f 0 ()(xn xm ) for some
(xm , xn ), hence |f (xn ) f (xm )| 2007|xn xm |. Given > 0 let = /2007.
Then there exists k such that m, n k = |xn xm | < , since lim xn converges.
Therefore |f (xn ) f (xm )| so that f (xn ) is a Cauchy sequence. Hence lim f (xn )
converges.
(ii) First, lim f (xn ) = ` is independent of the choice of sequence satisfying the conditions of (i). If yn were another such sequence, then the sequence x1 , y1 , x2 , y2 , . . . would
converge to 1, the sequence f (x1 ), f (y1 ), f (x2 ), f (y2 ), . . . would converge, say to `, and
the two subsequences, f (xn ) and f (yn ), would converge to the same limit, `. Define
f(1) = ` extending f to [0, 1]. Then f(lim xn ) = f(1) = ` = lim f (xn ) = lim f(xn ),
hence f is continuous on [0, 1].

Topology
T1. Let X be a connected complete metric space and let U be a non-empty open subset of
X, regarded as a metric space with the restricted metric. Prove that if U is complete
then U = X.
Solution: Since X is connected, it suffices to show that U is open and closed. We are
given that U is open. To show that U is closed we will show that U contains all of its
limit points. Let p be a limit point of U . Since X is a metric space, there is a sequence
(un ) of points of U such that un p as n . Any convergent sequence is Cauchy.
Thus (un ) is Cauchy in X and, since U has the restricted metric it is also Cauchy in
U . Since U is complete, there is a point u U such that un u in U , and hence also
in X. Since limits of sequences are unique in a metric space, we have u = p. Thus
p U , and U is closed, as required.
T2. Let (X) = {(x, x) | x X} X X
1. Show that R2 (R) has two connected components.
2. Show that if f : R R is a homeomorphism, then f is monotonic (Hint: consider
the restriction of the function f f to the set {(x, y) | x < y}.)
Solution:
1. Let R2+ = {(x, y) R2 |x < y} and R2 = {(x, y) R2 |x > y}. Then R2 (R)
is the disjoint union of R2 and R2+ . It suffices to show that each of these sets is
connected. Consider the map g : R2 R2 given by g(x, y) = (x, x y). Then
g((R)) = R {0}, and g is a homeomorphism, since it is continuous and an
inverse to itself. Moreover, g(R2+ ) = R (0, ), and g(R2 ) = R (, 0).
Thus each of R2 is connected, being homeomorphic to a product of intervals.
This shows that R2 (R) has two components.
9

2. Suppose that f : R R is a homeomorphism. The map f f : R2 R2 is

defined by f f ((x, y)) = (f (x), f (y)). We have f f (R2 (R)) R2 (R),
since f (x) 6= f (y), for all x 6= y. Thus, it takes components of R2 (R) to
components of R2 (R). In particular, either f f (R2 ) R2 or f f (R2 )
R2+ . In the first case we have f (x) < f (y) whenever x < y. In the second case we
have f (x) > f (y) whenever x < y. Thus, f is monotonic.
T3. Let B(R) denote the set of all bounded sequences of real numbers with the uniform
topology. Recall that the uniform topology is given by the sup metric , which is
defined as follows. If X = (xn )nN and Y = (yn )nN are points of B(R) then the
distance (X, Y ) is
(X, Y ) = sup (|xn yn |).
nN

Prove that B(R) is a complete metric space.

Solution Let (Xi )iN be a Cauchy sequence with respect to the metric on B(R).
For each i N let Xi = (xn,i )nN .
First we show that there exists M R such that |xn,i | < M for all n, i N. For each
i N, since Xi is bounded, there exists Mi such that |xi,n | < Mi . Since the sequence
(Xi )iN is Cauchy, there exists N N such that (Xi , XN ) < 1 for all i > N . In
particular this means that Mi MN + 1 for all i > N . Thus we may take M to be
the maximum of M1 , M2 , . . . , MN 1 , MN + 1.
Now, since (Xi )iN is Cauchy, we have
|xn,i xn,j | sup |xn,i xn,j | = (Xi , Xj ).
nN

This shows that (xn,i )iN is a Cauchy sequence for each n. Since R is complete, we
may define xn, = lim xn,i for each n N. Moreover, |xn, | M for all n since
i

|xn,i | < M for all n, i N.

Now consider the bounded sequence X = (xn, )nN . Given  > 0, there exists I N
such that (Xi , Xj ) <  for all i, j I. Then, for i I, we have |xn,i xn, | =
lim |xn,i xn,j | . Thus we see that (Xi , X )  for i I. In other words,
j

lim Xi = X . This shows that (B(R), ) is a complete metric space.

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