PRACTICE QUESTIONS ON RING THEORY (UNIT 3)
A. DIVISIBILITY IN INTEGRAL DOMAINS
1. Define divisibility
2. Show that if R is a commutative ring, then (i) 𝒂|𝒃 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒃|𝒄 ⟹ 𝒂|𝒄 (transitivity)
(ii) 𝒂|𝒃 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂|𝒄 ⟹ 𝒂|(𝒃 + 𝒄) (iii) 𝒂|𝒃 ⟹ 𝒂|𝒃𝒙 ∀𝒙 ∈ 𝑹
3. What do you mean by units in a ring?
4. Find all units for the integral domain of Gaussian integers.
5. What do you mean by associates?
6. Let R be a commutative ring with unity. Show that the relation ~ of ‘being an associate’
is an equivalence relation.
7. Let D be an integral domain. Show that two non-zero elements a and b are associates if
and only if a|b and b|a.
8. Define proper and improper divisors.
9. Define prime or irreducible elements.
10. Define greatest common divisor (GCD).
11. Show that in an integral domain, if the GCD exists, then it is unique, up to associates.
12. Define relatively prime elements.
(B) POLYNOMIAL RING
1. Define polynomial.
2. Define degree of a polynomial.
3. Add and multiply the following polynomials over the ring of integers:
4. Add and multiply the following polynomials over the ring (𝒁𝟔 , +𝟔 , 𝑿𝟔 ) :
5. Let f (x) and g(x) be two non-zero polynomials over an arbitrary ring R . Then show that
(i) 𝒅𝒆𝒈 [ 𝒇(𝒙) + 𝒈(𝒙)] ≤ 𝑴𝒂𝒙 [𝒅𝒆𝒈 𝒇(𝒙), 𝒅𝒆𝒈 𝒈(𝒙)]
(ii) 𝒅𝒆𝒈 [ 𝒇(𝒙) 𝒈(𝒙)] ≤ 𝒅𝒆𝒈 𝒇(𝒙) + 𝒅𝒆𝒈 𝒈(𝒙)
6. Define ring of polynomials.
The set R[x] of all polynomials over any ring R is a ring with respect to addition and
multiplication of polynomials, which is called the ring of polynomials over the ring R.
7. Show that the set R[x] of all polynomials over any ring R is a ring with respect to
addition and multiplication of polynomials
8. Show that if R is any ring and R′ is the set of constant polynomials in R[x], then R′ is
isomorphic to R
9. Show that if D is an integral domain, then the polynomial ring D[x] is also an integral
domain.
10. Show that if F is a field, then the set F[x] of all polynomials over F is an integral domain.
NOTE: Since every field is an integral domain, so F is an integral domain.
Then same proof as in 9.
11. Show that the polynomial domain F[x] over a field F is not a field
(C) DIVISIBILITY IN POLYNOMIAL RINGS
1. Define divisibility of polynomials
2. Define units and associates for polynomial rings
3. Define irreducible polynomial
4. Define monic polynomial
5. Define Greatest Common Divisor (GCD) of Two Polynomials over a Field
6. State and prove the Division Algorithm for Polynomials over a Field.
7. Show that a polynomial domain F[x] over a field F is a principal ideal ring
8. Show that a polynomial ring over a ring may not be a principal ideal ring OR Show that
the polynomial ring I[x] over the ring of integers is not a principal ideal ring.
9. State and prove Euclidean Algorithm for Polynomials over a Field to find GCD.
10. State and prove remainder theorem
11. State and prove Factor theorem
12. Define Unique Factorization Domain
13. Define Primitive Polynomial
14. State and prove Gauss’ lemma
15. State and prove Eisenstein’s Criterion of Irreducibility of polynomials
16. Show that if p is a prime number, then the polynomial 𝒙𝒏 − 𝒑 is irreducible over the
field Q of rational numbers.
17. Show that the polynomial 𝒙𝟐 − 𝟑 is irreducible over the field Q of rational numbers.
18. Show that if p is a prime number, then the polynomial 𝟏 + 𝒙 + 𝒙𝟐 + ⋯ + 𝒙𝒑 𝟏
is
irreducible over the field Q of rational numbers.
