Honors Algebra 4, MATH 371 Winter 2010

Assignment 5 Solutions

For the problems 1–7, we fix a principal ideal domain R.

1. Let M be any R-module.

(a) For m ∈ M , the annhilator of m in R is defined to be

annR (m) := {r ∈ R : rm = 0}.

Prove that annR (m) is an ideal of R.

Solution: It is clear that annR (m) is closed under R-multiplication. If r, s ∈ annR (m)
then (r + s)m = rm + sm = 0 so annR (M ) is closed under addition as well, and is hence
an ideal.
(b) We say that m ∈ M is torsion if annR (m) 6= 0 and we define the torsion submodule of
M to be
Tor(M ) := {m ∈ M : annR (m) 6= 0}.
We say that an R-module N is torsion free if Tor(N ) = 0. Prove that Tor(M ) really is
a submodule of M and that the quotient M/ Tor(M ) is torsion free.
Solution: Suppose m, n ∈ Tor(M ) and that r, s ∈ R \ {0} are elements of annR (m) and
annR (n), respectively. Then rs is nonzero as R is a domain and rs ∈ annR (um + n) for
any u ∈ R. Thus, Tor(M ) is a submodule of M . Suppose m ∈ M and let m be the
image of m in M/ Tor(M ). If m is torsion, there exists r ∈ R \ {0} such that rm = 0, or
equivalently rm ∈ Tor(M ). Thus, there exists s ∈ R \ {0} such that srm = 0 so since
sr 6= 0 we conclude that m ∈ Tor(M ) and hence m = 0.

2. Let M be any submodule of a free module Rn . Show that M is itself a free module, of rank
at most n as follows:

(a) Let πi : M → R be the composition of the inclusion M ,→ Rn with projection Rn → R

on to the ith factor; it is an R-module homomorphism. If π1 (M ) = 0, show that M is a
submodule of Rn−1 in a natural way.
Solution: The projection Rn → R on to the ith factor clearly has kernel isomorphic to
Rn−1 . Thus, if π1 (M ) = 0 then M = ker(π1 ) ⊆ Rn−1 .
(b) If π1 (M ) 6= 0 then it is an ideal of R, necessarily principal, say π1 (M ) = (d). For m ∈ M
with π1 (m) = d, show that M ' Rm ⊕ ker π1 and that ker π1 is naturally a submodule
of a free module of rank n − 1.
Solution: Let x ∈ M be arbitrary. By assumption, π1 (x) = rd for some r ∈ R and
hence π1 (x−rm) = 0. Thus, x = rm+(x−rm) is in Rm+ker π1 . This sum is nesessarily
direct, since if π1 (rm) = rd = 0 then r = 0. Now ker π1 is a submodule of Rn−1 in a
natural way as in part (2a).
(c) Conclude by induction on n.
Solution: The base case is n = 1: then M is an ideal of R and hence is equal to Rd for
some d ∈ R, which is a free R-module of rank at most 1 as R is a domain. Assuming
 that the statement holds for n − 1, if M is a submodule of Rn then by (2b) we have
M = Rm ⊕ ker π1 . Necessarily Rm is a free rank 1 R-module and by the induction
hypothesis, ker π1 ⊆ Rn−1 is also free over R of rank at most n − 1.

3. Prove that any finitely generated and torsion free R-module M is a submodule of a free
module, and hence free as follows:

(a) Let {m1 , . . . , ms } be a minimal set of generators of M , and let Mi be the submodule of
M generated by {m1 , . . . , mi }. Show that M1 a free R-module.
Solution: The map R → M1 given by 1 7→ m1 is a surjective map of R-modules. It is
injective as M1 ⊆ M is torsion free.
(b) Let j ≥ 1 be the greatest integer such that Mj is free. If j = s we are done. Otherwise,
Mj+1 is not free so there exists a relation
X
xmj+1 + ri mi = 0
1≤i≤j

with x ∈ R nonzero. Show that multiplication by x on Mj+1 is an R-module homomor-

phism whose image is contained in a free R-module.
Solution: It is obvious that multiplication by x is an R-module homomorphism. It’s
image is contained in Mj (since xmj+1 ∈ Mj ), which is a free R-module by hypothesis.
(c) Show that the kernel of multiplication by x is zero, and deduce that Mj+1 is free after
all. Conclude that M is free.
Solution: This kernel is zero since M is torsion-free. Thus, Mj+1 is isomorphic to the
image of multiplication by x, which is a submodule of the free R-module Mj and is
hence free by the previous problem. By our choice of j, this is a contradiction to our
assumption that j < s and hence M itself must be free.

4. Let M be a finitely generated R-module. Prove that the short exact sequence

0 / Tor(M ) /M / M/ Tor(M ) /0

splits, so M ' (M/ Tor(M )) ⊕ Tor(M ) is the direct sum of its torsion submodule and a free
module. Show that this decomposition of M as a direct sum of a torsion module and a free
module is unique up to isomorphism.
Solution: By the previous problem, M/ Tor(M ) is finitely generated and torsio-free so is
a free R-module. The desired splitting then comes from the universal mapping property of
free R-modules. Now if T is any torsion module and F is any free module, then the torsion
submodule of M := T ⊕ F is clearly T , and M/T ' F . This gives the desired uniqueness up
to isomorphism.

5. Let T be a torsion R-module, i.e. the inclusion Tor(T ) ,→ T is an isomorphism. For each
nonzero (principal) ideal (r) ⊆ R, we define the (r)-primary submodule of T to be

T(r) := {t ∈ T : rn t = 0 for some n ≥ 0}.

 (a) Show that T(r) is a submodule of T that depends only on the ideal (r) (and not on a
specific choice of generator for this ideal).
Solution: If t, s ∈ T(r) then rn t = 0 and rm s = 0 for some m, n ≥ 0. It follows that
rm+n (ut + s) = 0 for any u ∈ R so T(r) is an R-submodule of T . Since rn t = 0 if and
only if urn t = 0 for any unit u ∈ R× , it follows immediately that T(r) depends only on
the ideal (r) .
(b) If r, s ∈ R have gcd(r, s) = 1, show that T(r) ∩ T(s) = 0. Conclude that for such r, s we
have T(rs) ' T(r) ⊕ T(s) . Hint: use the fact that for any nonnegative integers n, m, there
exist u, v ∈ R with urn + vsm = 1.
Solution: Let t ∈ T(r) ∩ T(s) and suppose that rn t = 0 and sm t = 0. Since (rn , sm ) is
the unit ideal, there exist u, v ∈ R such that urn + vsm = 1 and hence

t = (urn + vsm )t = u(rn t) + v(sm t) = 0 + 0 = 0.

Now the natural map T(r) ⊕ T(s) → T(rs) sending (t, t0 ) to t + t0 is surjective since if
(rs)n t = 0 then choosing u, v ∈ R with urn + vsn = 1 we have t = urn t + vsn t and
urn t ∈ T(s) while vsn t ∈ T(r) . This map has kernel T(r) ∩ T(s) = 0 so is an isomorphism.
(c) Prove that there is a canonical isomorphism of R-modules
M
T ' Tp
p

where p ranges over the distinct prime ideals of R.

Solution: For each p, we have a canonical inclusion Tp ,→ T , which gives a canonical
mapping M
ϕ: Tp → T.
p

By (5b), we see that ϕ is injective. If t ∈ T then annR (t) is a principal ideal of R, say
generated by (d). If d = π1e1 · · · πkek is the prime factorization of d in R and pi = (πi ) the
prime ideal corresponding to πi , the an easy induction argument usingL(5b) shows that
t is in the image of the restriction of ϕ to the submodule ⊕ki=1 Tpi of p Tp . It follows
that ϕ is surjective as well, hence an isomorphism.

6. Let p be a prime ideal of R and Tp a finitely generated, nonzero p-primary R-module.

(a) Show that any quotient or sub-module of Tp is again p-primary and finitely generated
(be careful for finite generation of submodules!)
Solution: Clearly any quotient of a finitely generated module is again finitely generated,
as the images of the generators are a generating set. Since R is a PID, it is noetherian
and any submodule of a finitely generated R-module is again finitely generated (proof?).
That any quotient or submodule of a p-primary module is p-primary is obvious.
(b) Let ann(Tp ) := {r ∈ R : rt = 0 for all t ∈ Tp } be the annihilator of Tp in R. Prove
that ann(Tp ) is a proper ideal of R, and is equal to pN for some positive integer N .
Solution: Let t ∈ Tp and suppose annR (t) = (r) for some r ∈ R. If π is a principal
generator of p, we know that π n t = 0 for some n which without loss of generality we can
 assume is minimal with this property. Then π n is a multiple of r, so we must have that
r = π d u for a unit u and some d ≤ n. We conclude that annR (t) = pn . By definition,
ann(Tp ) is equal to the intersection
\
annR (t),
t∈Tp

and hence has the form pN for some N . It is a proper ideal since Tp is nonzero, and for
t ∈ Tp nonzero annR (t) is a proper ideal.
(c) Suppose {t1 , . . . , ts } is a set of generators for Tp as an R-module. Show that there exists
a set of s generators {y1 , . . . , ys } of Tp with

annR (y1 ) = annR (Tp ) = pN

Solution: We have seen that annR (ti ) = pni for some integers ni , and hence that these
ideals form a chain. It follows that ann(Tp ), which is the intersection of the annR (ti ),
coincides with annR (ti ) for some i (specificaly, for any value of i with maximal ni ). By
reordering the ti ’s if need be, we conclude as desired.
(d) Let hy1 i be the R-submodule of Tp generated by y1 and set Tp0 := Tp /hy1 i; it is again
a finitely generated p-primary R-module. Suppose y 0 ∈ Tp0 has annR (y 0 ) = pm for some
positive integer m. Show that m ≤ N and that there exists y ∈ Tp projecting to y 0 with
annR (y) = pm .
Solution: That m ≤ N is clear. Let x be any lift of y 0 to Tp , so pm x ∈ hy1 i, say
pm x = ry1 . Then pN −m ry1 = pN x = 0 so we conclude that pm |r, say r = pm z. Then
y := x − zy1 lifts y 0 and is killed by pm . We conclude that annR (y) = pd for some d ≤ m.
But since pd then kills y 0 , we must have d = m.
(e) Prove that there exist integers positive m1 ≤ m2 ≤ . . . ≤ ms with annR (Tp ) = pms and
an isomorphism of R-modules

Tp ' R/pm1 ⊕ R/pm2 ⊕ · · · ⊕ R/pms (1)

as follows: Fix a minimal set of generators {y1 , . . . , ys } of Tp and proceed by induction

on s.
i. By (6c), we may assume annR (y1 ) = annR (Tp ). If s = 1 conclude.
Solution: If s = 1, the map R → Tp sending r to ry1 is surjective with kernel
annR (y1 ) = pm1 .
ii. If s > 1, consider the short exact sequence of R-modules

0 / hy1 i / Tp / Tp0 /0 (2)

Using the induction hypothesis and part (6d) to appropriately lift generators of the
direct summands occurring in the decomposition of Tp0 as in (1), show that this
sequence is split, and conclude as desired.
 Solution: Since the images of y2 , . . . , ys generate Tp0 as an R-module, the induction
hypothesis implies that we have an isomorphism

Tp0 ' R/pm2 ⊕ R/pm3 ⊕ · · · ⊕ R/pms .

Choose zi ∈ Tp0 mapping to a generator of the submodule R/pmi in the above direct
sum decomposition, and let xi be any lift of zi to Tp satisfying annR (xi ) = pmi ; this
is possible by (6d). Consider the R-linear mapping Tp0 → Tp sending zi to xi . This is
well-defined by our choice of xi and gives a splitting of (2). We conclude as desired,
since hy1 i ' R/pm1 .
(f) Show that the mi as in (1) are uniquely determined by Tp . Hint: for each j ≥ 0,
consider the R-module pj Tp /pj+1 Tp . Show that this is a vector space over the field R/p
and compute its dimension.
Solution: The dimension dj of the Fp -vector space pj Tp /pj+1 Tp is easily seen to be
equal to the number of mi which are greater than j. It is not hard to see that the
mi can be recovered from the dj , and hence are uniquely determined by Tp as this is
obviously true of the dj .

You have just proved:

Theorem 1 (Structure theorem for finitely generated modules over a PID: Primary decom-
position). Let R be a principal ideal domain and M a finitely generated R-module. Then there
exist direct sum decompositions
M
R ' F ⊕ T and T ' Tp
p

where F is a free R-module of finite rank, T is a torsion R-module and Tp is a p-primary

torsion R-module. Here, F, T, Tp are each uniquely determined by M . Furthermore, for each
p there exist integers 0 < m1 ≤, . . . , ≤ ms and a direct sum decomposition

Tp ' R/pm1 ⊕ · · · ⊕ R/pms

with s the minimal number of generators of Tp and pm

s = annR (Tp ). The integers {mi } are
uniquely determined by M .

7. Now prove:

Corollary 1 (Structure theorem for finitely generated modules over a PID: Invariant factor
decomposition). Let R be a principal ideal domain and M a finitely generated R-module.
Then there exists a direct sum decomposition

M 'F ⊕T

with F a free module and T = Tor(M ) the torsion submodule of M . Moreover, there exists a
nonnegative integer d and nonzero elements a1 , a2 , . . . , am of R which are not units and which
satisfy the divisibility relations
a1 |a2 | · · · |am
 such that there is a canonical isomorphism of R-modules

T ' R/(a1 ) ⊕ R/(a2 ) ⊕ · · · ⊕ R/(ad ).

The ideals (ai ) are uniquely determined by T (and hence by M ); they are called the invariant
factors of M .

Hint: Use Theorem 6 and the Chinese Remainder Theorem.

Solution: By the previous exercise, we have decompositions
k
M
R'F ⊕T and T ' Tpi
i=1

with F free and T torsion and uniquely determined by M up to isomorphism. For each i, we
have
m (i) ms (i)
Tpi ' R/pi 1 ⊕ · · · ⊕ R/pi i
with si and
m1 (i) ≤ m2 (i) ≤ · · · ≤ msi (i)
uniquely determined by Tpi and hence by M . Let m = maxi {si } and define am−j ∈ R to be
any generator of the principal ideal
k
Y ms −j (i)
pi i
i=1

where we put msi −j (i) = 0 if si − j < 0. Then a1 |a2 | · · · |am and the ideals (ai ) are uniquely
determined by M as this is true of the mj (i).

8. Now let F be a field and V a finite dimensional F -vector space equipped with a linear
transformation A : V → V . We consider V as an F [X]-module via

(a0 + a1 X + · · · + an X n )v := a0 v + a1 Av + · · · + an An v,

where Ai denotes the composition of A with itself i-times. Since F [X] is a PID, the structure
theorems for V as an F [X]-module that you proved above apply.

(a) Let (ai ) for i = 1, . . . , d be the invariant factors of V . Show that each ai may be taken to
be a monic polynomial, and that with this normalization the ai ’s are uniquely determined
by V and A (not just up to units).
Solution: Since the units of F [X] are just F × , any nonzero ideal of F [X] has a unique
generator which is monic.
(b) Let
g := b0 + b1 X + · · · + X k ∈ F [X]
be any monic polynomial and consider the finite-dimensional F -vector space

Vg := F [X]/(g).
 Multiplication by X gives a linear transformation of Vg , which we denote by mX . Show
that the matrix of mX with respect to the basis 1, X, X 2 , · · · , X k−1 of Vg is the com-
panion matrix of g, given by the k × k matrix over F
 
0 0 ··· ··· ··· −b0
 1 0 ··· ··· ··· −b1 
 
 0 1 ··· ··· ··· −b2 
 
Cg :=  . . .
.

 0 0
 . . 

 .. .. . . .
. 
 . . . . 
0 0 · · · · · · 1 −bk−1

Solution: Obvious, using the identity

X · X k−1 = X k = −b0 − b1 X − · · · − bk−1 X k−1 .

(c) Prove that there exists a basis of V with respect to which the matrix of A is in rational
canonical form, i.e. has the block form
 
Ca1
 Ca2 
(3)
 
 . . 
 . 
Cad

Hint: First observe that V is a torsion F [X]-module. Now use the invariant factor form
of the structure theorem for modules over a PID and part (8b).
Solution: Since A satisfies its characteristic polynomial by Cayley-Hamilton, this char-
acteristic polynomial annhihilates V as an F [X]-module. We deduce that V is tor-
sion and hence isomorphic to F [X]/(a1 ) ⊕ · · · ⊕ F [X]/(ad ) for a1 , · · · , ad the invari-
ant factors of V , normalized to be monic. Let Bi be the basis of F [X]/(ai ) given by
1, X, X 2 , . . . , X deg ai −1 and let B be the basis of V corresponding to the union of the Bi .
Then the matrix of A with respect to B is easily seen to be as above, by part (8b).
(d) Prove that any square matrix M over F is similar to a matrix in rational canonical form;
i.e. there exists an invertible matrix P such that P −1 M P has the form (3), and show
moreover that P and this rational canonical form of M are uniquely determined by M .
Conclude that two n × n matrices over F are similar if and only if they have the same
rational canonical form.
Solution: Two matrices are similar if and only if there is a change of basis bringing
one matrix to the other. It therefore follows from (3) that there is a change of basis
matrix bringing M into rational canonical form. Clearly this rational canonical form is
uniquely determined by M , as it is uniquely determined by the invariant factors of F n
as an F [X]-module via M . If M and M 0 are similar, then F n as an F [X] module via M
is isomorphic to F n as an F [X] module via M 0 , so the invariant factors are the same.
The converse is clear from the above.