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Final Exam Solutions: Math 116: Finashin, Pamuk, Pierce, Solak June 7, 2011, 13:30-15:30 (120 Minutes)

This document provides the solutions to 7 problems on a final exam for Math 116. 1) It determines whether a polynomial is reducible over Q, Z3, and Z5. 2) It factors a 4th degree polynomial over Q. 3) It explains why not every integral domain is a field.

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Suresh kumar
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111 views4 pages

Final Exam Solutions: Math 116: Finashin, Pamuk, Pierce, Solak June 7, 2011, 13:30-15:30 (120 Minutes)

This document provides the solutions to 7 problems on a final exam for Math 116. 1) It determines whether a polynomial is reducible over Q, Z3, and Z5. 2) It factors a 4th degree polynomial over Q. 3) It explains why not every integral domain is a field.

Uploaded by

Suresh kumar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Final Exam solutions

Math 116: Finashin, Pamuk, Pierce, Solak

June 7, 2011, 13:30–15:30 (120 minutes)

Instructions. Work carefully. Your methods should be clear to the reader.

Problem 1 (12 points). Is x3 + x + 1 reducible over:

(a) Q ?

(b) Z3 ?

(c) Z5 ?

Solution. Since the polynomial (call it f ) has degree 3, it is reducible if and


only if it has a root.

(a) If p/q is a root, then p and q divide 1, so p/q = ±1. But f (1) = 3 and
f (−1) = −1, so f has no roots and is irreducible over Q.

(b) f (1) = 0, so f is reducible over Z3 (divisible by (x − 1)).

(c) f (0) = 1, f (1) = 3, f (2) = 11, f (3) = 31, f (4) = 69; so f is irreducible
over Z5 .

Problem 2 (8 points). Letting f (x) = 3x4 + 5x3 + x2 + 5x − 2, write f (x)


as a product of irreducible polynomials over Q.

Solution. If p/q is a root of f , then p | 2 and q | 3, so p ∈ {±1, ±2} and


q ∈ {±1, ±3}, hence p/q ∈ {±1, ±2, ± 31 , ± 23 }.

f (1) = 3 + 5 + 1 + 5 − 2 6= 0,
f (−1) = 3 − 5 + 1 − 5 − 2 6= 0,
f (2) = 48 + 40 + 4 + 10 − 2 6= 0,
f (−2) = 48 − 40 + 4 − 10 − 2 = 0.

1
Since −2 is a root, f (x) is divisible by (x + 2). Using the division algorithm,

f (x) = (x + 2)(3x3 − x2 + 3x − 1).

Also 1/3 is a root of 3x3 − x2 + 3x − 1, and

3x3 − x2 + 3x − 1 = (3x − 1)(x2 + 1).

Therefore f (x) = (x + 2)(3x − 1)(x2 + 1) . Since (x + 2) and (3x − 1) have


degree 1, they are irreducible. Since x2 + 1 > 0 for all x in Q, it has no
rational roots and is therefore irreducible.

Problem 3 (5 points). Is every integral domain a field? Explain.

Solution. No, consider the ring of integers (Z, +, ·) which is an integral


domain, since it has no zero divisors. But it is not a field, since the non-zero
elements except ±1 do not have multiplicative inverses.

Problem 4 (15 points). Find a polynomial f (x) of least positive degree with
the given properties. (Your answer should show the coefficients of f (x).)

(a) f (x) is over C, and f (2i) = 0 = f (1 + i).

(b) f (x) is over R, and 2i and 1 + i are zeros of it.

(c) f (x) is over Z2 , and 1 (that is, [1]) is a zero of multiplicity 4.

Answers.

(a) f (x) = (x − 2i)(x − 1 − i) = x2 − (1 + 3i)x + 2i − 2 over C.

(b) f (x) = (x − 2i)(x + 2i)(x − 1 − i)(x − 1 + i) = (x2 + 4)(x2 − 2x + 2) =


x4 − 2x3 + 6x2 − 8x + 8 over R.

(c) f (x) = (x − 1)4 = x4 − 4x3 + 6x2 − 4x + 1 = x4 + 1 over Z2 .

Problem 5 (5 points). Over a field K, suppose f (x) is a polynomial with


no zeros in K. Must f (x) be irreducible over K? Explain.

Solution. No. For example, the polynomial x4 + 2x2 + 1 over R has no zeros
in R but it is reducible over R.
Problem 6 (15 points). Working over Z3 , letting

f (x) = x5 + x + 1, g(x) = x2 + 1,

find s(x) and t(x) such that f (x) · s(x) + g(x) · t(x) = 1.
Solution.

f (x) = x5 + x + 1 = g(x) · (x2 + 2x) + 2x + 1


g(x) = x2 + 1 = (2x + 1) · (2x + 2) + 2.

Then

2 = g(x) − (2x + 1)(2x + 2)


= g(x) − [f (x) − g(x)(x3 + 2x)](2x + 2)
= f (x)(x + 1) + g(x)[1 + (x3 + 2x)(2x + 2)]
= f (x)(x + 1) + g(x)(2x4 + 2x3 + x2 + x + 1)

Hence,
1 = f (x)(2x + 2) + g(x)(x4 + x3 + 2x2 + 2x + 2).
So,

s(x) = 2x + 2, t(x) = x4 + x3 + 2x2 + 2x + 2.

Problem 7 (20 points). Let R be the subring {x + yi : x, y ∈ Z} of C, and


let I be the ideal {x + yi : x, y ∈ 2Z} of R.
(a) How many additive cosets has I in R? List them clearly.

(b) Is the quotient R/I cyclic as an additive group? Explain.

(c) Show that the function φ from R to Z2 given by

φ(x + yi) = [x + y] (∗)

is a ring homomorphism.

(d) Does the same formula (∗) define a ring homomorphism from R to Z3 ?
Explain.
Solution.
(a) Four cosets: I, 1 + I, i + I, and 1 + i + I.

(b) No: R/I has order 4, but each element has order 1 or 2.
(c) φ((a + bi) + (x + yi)) = φ(a + x + (b + y)i)
= [a + x + b + y]
= [a + b] + [x + y]
= φ(a + bi) + φ(x + yi),
φ((a + bi) · (x + yi)) = φ(ax − by + (ay + bx)i)
= [ax − by + ay + bx]
= [ax + by + ay + bx]
= [a + b] · [x + y]
= φ(a + bi) · φ(x + yi).

(d) No, since φ(i2 ) = φ(−1) = [−1] = [2], while φ(i)2 = [1]2 = [1].

Remark. For part (d), many people observed that the computations of (c)
for multiplication were not justified modulo 3. This is correct, but one must
show that the system of equations fails in at least one case. (In fact the
system is correct when 3 | by, but fails in all other cases.)

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