Name:

MATH 113 FINAL EXAM

SUMMER 2013

Please put away everything except scratch paper and pencils/pens.

You have 110 minutes to complete this exam, which ends at 4pm.

Problem Points Out of

1 6
2 10
3 4
4 12
5 6
6 6
7 6
Total: 50

(1) Let p be a prime number. Factor xp − x into a product of irreducibles in Zp [x], and justify
your answer (Hint: Fermat’s Little Theorem).

Solution: (6 points) By Fermat’s Little Theorem, for all a ∈ Zp , we have ap = a, and

hence ap − a = 0. So every a ∈ Zp is a zero of the polynomial xp − x. The polynomial has
degree p and p zeros in Zp , so it splits into p distinct linear factors in Zp [x]:
xp − x = x(x − 1)(x − 2) . . . (x − p − 1)

(2) For each of the items below, given an example (and justify it), or explain why no example
exists.
(a) A subring S of a ring R which is not an ideal in R.

Solution: (2 points) Z ≤ Q. Note that 21 (1) = 12 ∈ / Z, so Z is not an ideal.

Alternatively, Q is a field, so its only ideals are {0} and Q.

(b) A reducible polynomial in Q[x] which has no zeros in Q.

Solution: (2 points) x4 + 2x + 1. x4 + 2x + 1 = (x2 + 1)(x2 + 1), so it is reducible,

but it has no rational roots, since x2 + 1 has only complex roots.

(c) A prime ideal which is not maximal.

Solution: (2 points) hxi ⊆ Z[x]. We have Z[x]/hxi ∼

= Z, and Z is an integral domain
but not a field.

1
2 MATH 113 FINAL EXAM SUMMER 2013

(d) An integral domain of characteristic 8.

Solution: (2 points) None exists. In a ring with unity of characteristic 8, (1 + 1) 6= 0

and (1 + 1 + 1 + 1) 6= 0, but (1 + 1)(1 + 1 + 1 + 1) = (1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 + 1) = 0.

(e) A finite field of order 25.

Solution: (2 points) F = Z5 [x]/hx2 − 2i. The polynomial f (x) = x2 − 2 is irreducible

in Z5 [x], since it has no zeros in Z5 , so hf (x)i is a maximal ideal in Z5 [x], and F is a
field.
Since deg(f ) = 2, [F : Z5 ] = 2. Taking {b1 , b2 } as a basis for F over Z5 , we have that
each element of F can be expressed uniquely in the form a1 b1 + a2 b2 , with a1 , a2 ∈ Z5 .
There are 5 choices for each coefficient in the linear combination, so |F | = 25.

(3) Let F be a field. Is F × F a field? Why or why not?

Solution: (4 points) No. (1, 0) has no multiplicative inverse (since (1, 0)(a, b) = (a, 0) 6=
(1, 1) for all a, b ∈ F ).

(4) Let f (x) = x3 − x − 1. You may use without proof that f is irreducible in Q[x] and that f
has a zero α ∈ C.
(a) Find [Q(α) : Q].

Solution: (2 points) 3.

(b) Write down a basis for Q(α) as a vector space over Q.

Solution: (2 points) {1, α, α2 }.

(c) Since Q(α) is a field, α−1 ∈ Q(α). Express α−1 as a linear combination (over Q) of
the basis elements from part (b).

Solution: (4 points) Since f (α) = 0, α3 − α − 1 = 0, so α(α2 − 1) = 1. Hence

α−1 = α2 − 1.

(d) Let β ∈ Q(α), with β ∈

/ Q. Show that Q(β) = Q(α).

Solution: (4 points) If β ∈ Q(α), then [Q(α) : Q(β)][Q(β) : Q] = [Q(α) : Q] = 3.

Now [Q(β) : Q] 6= 1 since β ∈
/ Q, so [Q(β) : Q] = 3. But then [Q(α) : Q(β)] = 1, which
implies Q(β) = Q(α).

(5) (a) Which elements of Z9 are zero divisors, which are units, and which are neither?

Solution: (3 points) Zero divisors: 3, 6.

Units: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8.
Neither: 0.
 MATH 113 FINAL EXAM SUMMER 2013 3

(b) Let U (Z9 ) be the group of units of Z9 . Show that U (Z9 ) is cyclic. Which elements of
U (Z9 ) are cyclic generators for this group?

Solution: (3 points) |U (Z9 )| = 6. Let’s look at the powers of 2:

1
2 =2
2
2 = 4.
3
2 = 8.
4
2 = 7.
5
2 = 5.
6
2 = 1.
n
So 2 has order 6, and U (Z9 ) ∼
= Z6 by 2 7→ n.
The cyclic generators of Z6 are 1 and 5, so the cyclic generators of U (Z9 ) are 2 and
5
2 = 5.

(6) A ring R is called a Boolean ring if for all x ∈ R, x2 = x. Show that every Boolean ring
has characteristic 2, that is, for all x ∈ R, x + x = 0.

Solution: (6 points) Consider (x+x) = (x+x)2 = x(x+x)+x(x+x) = x2 +x2 +x2 +x2 =

x + x + x + x. Subtracting x + x from both sides, we obtain 0 = x + x.

(7) p
Let R be a commutative p ring with unity 1 6= 0. Recall that the nilradical is an ideal
{0} ⊆ R, defined by {0} = {a ∈ R | an =p0 for some n ∈ N}.
Show that if I ⊆ R is a prime ideal, then {0} ⊆ I.
p
Solution: (6 points) Let a ∈ {0}. Then for some n ∈ N, we have an = 0 (Note n > 0,
since a0 = 1 6= 0). But then an ∈ I (since I is a subgroup under +). I claim that a ∈ I.
Proof by induction on n: If I is a prime ideal and an ∈ I, then a ∈ I.
Base case: n = 1. Then a1 = a ∈ I.
Inductive step: If an ∈ I, then a(an−1 ) ∈ I, so since I is prime, a ∈ I or an−1 ∈ I. Either
way, we are done by induction.