Math 5591H and 5112 Midterm

Due by Tuesday, March 9

20% 1. The rank, rank ω, of a tensor ω is defined as the minimal number of simple tensors that sum to ω. (This
is another rank, not the number of modules involved in the tensor product!) Let ϕ: M −→ N be a homomorphism
of two free modules of finite rank over an ID R, and let ω be the tensor corresponding to ϕ in N ⊗ M ∗ .
Prove that rank ϕ ≤ rank ω, and if R is a field, then rank ϕ = rank ω.

40% 2. Let R be an ID, F be the field of fractions of R, M be an R-module, V be the F -vector space F ⊗R M ,
M ∗ = HomR (M, R) and V ∗ = HomF (V, F ).
(a) For f ∈ M ∗ , define f˜ ∈ V ∗ by f˜(α ⊗ u) = αf (u). (Why is f˜ well deined?) Prove that the mapping
f 7→ f˜ is a monomorphism (injective homomorphism) M ∗ −→ V ∗ . Deduce that the F -space homomorphism
F ⊗R M ∗ −→ V ∗ defined by 1⊗f 7→ f˜ is also injective, and, in the case rank M < ∞, that rank M ∗ ≤ rank M .
(b) If M is finitely generated, prove that the image of M ∗ in V ∗ spans V ∗ ; moreover, for any h ∈ V ∗ there
exist f ∈ M ∗ and d ∈ M such that dh = f˜. Deduce that F ⊗ M ∗ ∼ = V ∗ and that rank M ∗ = rank M .
(c) Give a example where for an (infinitely generated) R-module M of finite rank, M ∗ doesn’t span V ∗ (and
so, rank M ∗ < rank M ).
(d) If M and N are finitely generated and ϕ: M −→ N is a homomorphism, prove that rank ϕ∗ = rank ϕ.
(Hint: Show that the isomorphism in (b) is “canonical”, that is, agrees with homomorphisms. Extend ϕ and ϕ∗
to vector spaces, thereby reducing the problem to the case of vector spaces (for which this fact is assumed to be
known).)

40% 3. Let M be a free module of rank n over a commutative unital ring R. Let B = {u1 , . . . , un } be a basis of
M , let

b = ω1 = u2 ∧ u3 ∧ · · · ∧ un , ω2 = u1 ∧ u3 ∧ · · · ∧ un , . . . , ωn = u1 ∧ u2 ∧ · · · ∧ un−1
B

be the correspoding basis in Λn−1 M and {λ = u1 ∧ · · · ∧ un } be the corresponding basis in Λn M ∼ = R. Define

a pairing (a bilinear mapping) β: M × Λn−1 M −→ Λn M by β(u, ω) = u ∧ ω.
(a) Show that, under the pairing β, the basis B b is “almost” dual to B: for each i, β(ui , ωj ) = (−1)i+1 λ if
i = j and 0 if i 6= j. Deduce that β is a perfect pairing: for every nonzero u ∈ M there is ω ∈ Λn−1 M such
that β(u, ω) 6= 0. Deduce that every element u of M is uniquely defined by its action on Λn−1 M , that is, by
the linear form f (·) = β(u, ·).
(b) Let ϕ ∈ End(M ). Define ψ ∈ End(M ) by β(ψ(u), ω) = β(u, ∧n−1 ϕ(ω)) for all u ∈ M , ω ∈ Λn−1 M . (ψ
is the dual, or the adjoint, of ∧n−1 ϕ with respect to β.) Prove that ψ ◦ϕ = (det ϕ) IdM .
(c) If ϕ ∈ End(M ) is such that det ϕ is a unit in R, prove that ϕ is invertible. (Hint: By (b), every such ϕ
has a left inverse in End(M ).)
(d) Let ϕ ∈ End(M ), let ψ be as in (b). If A is the matrix of ϕ in the basis B, find the matrix of ∧n−1 ϕ
in the basis B,b and find the matrix of ψ in the basis B. (Hint: The determinant of a submatrix obtained from
the original matrix by removing one row and one column is called a minor. And don’t forget that the bases B and
b are dual only up to the sign.)
B
(e) Given an n × n matrix A with entries from R such that det A is a unit in R, use (d) to find a formula
for A−1 .
 
68 −35 −14
4. Let A = 70 −37 −14 over Q. Find the Smith normal form of the matrix xI − A over Q[x], and find the
20% 150 −75 −32
invariant factors, the elementary divisors, the minimal polynomial, the characteristic polynomial, and the
rational normal form of A. Determine whether A has Jordan normal form, and if it does, find it also. (Sorry
for such an ugly matrix; the integers appearing in the answer have to be small. You may use calculators and online
tools, but demonstrate that you know what to do.)