HINTS/SOLUTIONS TO ASSIGNMENT-11
ALGEBRAIC NUMBER THEORY
Due Date: 09/04/2025 Total Points: 50
The solutions given below are sometimes incomplete and often some details are
omitted. We don’t claim any originality in the solution. Some of these can be
found online. Here, we follow the same notation used in the lectures.
√ √
(1) Let K = Q( 5, 17). Then
(a) Find all prime numbers p that are totally ramified in the field K.
(b) Find all prime numbers p that are completely split in the field K.
Solution:
(a) A rational prime p is said to be totally ramified in K if the ramification index
of p is [K ∶ Q]. Further note that if a prime is totally ramified in K, then it is
√ √
totally ramified in all its proper subfields. Note that Q( 5), Q( 17) ⊂ K. We
√ √
know that the primes which are ramified in Q( 5) (resp. Q( 17)) are 5 (resp.
√ √
17). So, no prime ramify in the both extensions Q( 5) and Q( 17). Hence, no
prime totally ramifies in K.
(b) A prime is said to be completely split in K if e = f = 1. Further note that a
prime is completely split in K if and only if it is completely split in all its proper
subfields. We know that
√ 5 p
p splits in Q( 5) ⇔ X 2 − 5 splits in Fp ⇔ ( ) = 1 ⇔ ( ) = 1,
p 5
√ 17 p
p splits in Q( 17) ⇔ X 2 − 17 splits in Fp ⇔ ( ) = 1 ⇔ ( ) = 1,
p 17
where we used quadratic reciprocity in the last step. Thus, we conclude that p
is completely split in K if and only if ( p5 ) = 1 and ( 17
p
) = 1. This will happen if
and only if p ≡ ±1 (mod 5) and p ≡ ±1, ±2, ±4, ±8 (mod 17).
√ √
(2) Let m, n be two squarefree integers. Let K = Q( m, n), define k = mn
gcd(m,n)2 . Then
show that:
(a) dK = 64mnk, if m ≡ 3 (mod 4) and n ≡ k ≡ 2 (mod 4).
(b) dK = 16mnk, if m ≡ 1 (mod 4) and n ≡ k ≡ 2 or 3 (mod 4).
1
2
(The above question was left as an exercise in Lecture-51. See Lecture-51 for more
details.)
Solution:
(a) If m ≡ 3 (mod 4) and n ≡ k ≡ 2 (mod 4), then an integral basis of K is
√ √
√ √ n+ k
{1, m, n, }.
2
From the definition of the discriminant, we have
RRR √ √ √ √
R
RRR Tr(1) Tr( m) Tr( n) Tr ( n+2 k ) RRRR
RRR √ √ √ √ √ RRR
Tr( n ⋅ m) Tr ( m⋅( 2n+ k) )RRRR
√
RRR Tr( m) Tr(m)
dK = RRR RR
RRR Tr(√n) √ √
Tr ( n( 2n+ k) ) RRRR
√ √ √
Tr( n ⋅ m) Tr(n)
RRR R
RRRTr ( n+ k ) Tr ( m( n+ k) ) Tr ( n( n+ k) ) Tr ( ( n+ k)2 ) RRRRR
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
RR 2 2 2 4 RR
RRR R
RRR4 0 0 0 RRRR
RRR RR
R
R 0 4m 0 0 RRRR
= RRR R = 4 × 4m × (4n(n + k) − 4n2 ) = 64mnk.
RRR0 0 4n 2n RRRRR
RRR R
RRR0 0 2n n + k RRRRR
(b) If m ≡ 1 (mod 4) and n ≡ k ≡ 2 or 3 (mod 4), then the integral basis of K is
√ √ √
1+ m √ n+ k
{1, , n, }
2 2
Then
RRR √ R
Tr ( n+2 k ) RRRR
√ √ √
RRR Tr(1) Tr ( 1+ 2 m ) Tr( n)
RRRR RR
n+ k 1+ m RR
√ √ √ √ √ √ √
(1+ m)2
R Tr ( 1+ m
) Tr ( ) Tr ( n(1+ m)
) Tr ( ⋅ ) RR
dK = RRRR √
2
√
4
√
2
√ √n+√m RRRR
2 2
RRR Tr( n) Tr ( n(1+ m)
) Tr(n) Tr ( n ⋅ 2 ) RRR
RRR 2 RRR
RRRTr ( n+ k ) Tr ( n+ k ⋅ 1+ m ) Tr (√n ⋅ n+ k ) RRR
√ √ √ √ √ √ √ √ √
( n+ k)2
RR 2 2 2 2 Tr ( 4 ) RR
RRR R R R
RRR 4 4 ⋅ 12 0 0 RRRR RRRR4 2 0 0 RRRR
RRR 1 RR RR RR
R
R 4 ⋅ 2 4 ⋅ 1+m 0 0 RRRR RRRR2 1 + m 0 0 RRRR
= RRR 4
RR = RR RR
RRR 0 0 4n 2n RRRR RRRR0 0 4n 2n RRRR
RRR RR RR RR
RRR 0 0 2n n + k RRRR RRRR0 0 2n n + k RRRR
Hence dK = (4(1 + m) − 4) ⋅ (4n(n + k) − 4n2 ) = (4m) ⋅ 4nk = 16mnk
(3) Suppose a positive integer n has at least two distinct prime factors. Then show that
1 − ζn is a unit of Z[ζn ].
(Remark: Compare this problem with the case when n is a prime power.)
3
Solution(1) If n has at least two distinct prime divisors, then we can write
n = pe q
for some prime p, exponent e ≥ 1, and positive integer q > 1 such that gcd(pe , q) = 1.
e
If ζn is a primitive n-th root of unity, then ζnq and ζnp are primitive pe -th and q-th
roots of unity, respectively.
For any positive integer m, one can write the cyclotomic polynomial:
m−1
Sm (X) = X m−1 + ⋯ + X + 1 = ∏ (X − ζm
i
),
i=1
and this implies:
m−1
Sm (1) = m = ∏ (1 − ζm
i
).
i=1
In particular, we have:
pe −1
p = Spe (1) = ∏ (1 − ζnqi ),
e
i=1
and:
q−1
q = Sq (1) = ∏(1 − ζnp j ).
e
j=1
Now note that:
1 − ζnq
= 1 + ζn + ⋯ + ζnq−1 ∈ Z[ζn ],
1 − ζn
and:
e
1 − ζnp
= 1 + ζn + ⋯ + ζnp −1 ∈ Z[ζn ].
e
1 − ζn
e
Hence, 1 − ζn divides both 1 − ζnq and 1 − ζnp in Z[ζn ]. Based on the earlier factor-
izations of pe = Spe (1) and q = Sq (1), this implies that 1 − ζn is a common divisor of
pe and q in Z[ζn ].
Given that gcd(pe , q) = 1, there exist a, b ∈ Z such that:
ape + bq = 1.
Then we conclude that 1 − ζn divides 1 in Z[ζn ]. In other words, 1 − ζn is a unit in
Z[ζn ], as required.
Solution(2): We know that the minimal polynomial of ζn is
Φn (X) = ∏ (X − ζnk )
1≤k≤n
gcd(k,n)=1
4
Putting X = 1, we get:
Φn (1) = ∏ (1 − ζnk ) = Norm(1 − ζn )
1≤k≤n
gcd(k,n)=1
Thus, it is enough to show that
⎧
⎪
⎪
⎪p if n = pk for a prime p,
Φn (1) = ⎨
⎪
⎪1
⎪ if n is not a prime power.
⎩
We first consider the prime power case. If n = p, then we know that Φn (1) =
∏ 1≤k≤n (1 − ζn ) = Norm(1 − ζn ). We also have
k
gcd(k,n)=1
X n−1 + ⋯ + X + 1 = ∏ Φd (X)
d∣n
Thus by induction (on k) Φpk (1) = p for all k ≥ 1.
Now, suppose n = pα1 1 ⋯pαr r is not a prime power. Then,
RRR
Φn (1) ∏ Φd (1) = (X n−1
+ ⋯ + X + 1)RRRRR
d∣n RRR
X=1
d≠1,n
By the prime power case:
r
∏ Φd (1) = ∏ pαi i = n
d∣n i=1
d is a prime power
Hence
n
Φn (1) × ∏ Φd (1) = =1
d∣n n
d not is a prime power, d≠1,n
This proves that 1 − ζn is a unit if n is not a prime power.
(4) Let p be an odd prime. Show that Q(ζp ) contains a unique quadratic field K (i.e. a
degree 2 extension of Q). Moreover, show that
⎧
⎪ √
⎪
⎪Q( p) if p ≡ 1 (mod 4),
K=⎨ √
⎪
⎪
⎩Q( −p)
⎪ if p ≡ 3 (mod 4).
Solution: Since [Q(ζp ) ∶ Q] = p − 1 and Gal(Q(ζp )/Q) ≅ Z/(p − 1)Z, which is a cyclic
group of order p − 1. Therefore Gal(Q(ζp )/Q) ≅ Z/(p − 1)Z has a unique subgroup of
index 2. Therefore, the field Q(ζp ) has a unique subfield of degree 2 over Q (which
5
is the fixed field of the index 2 subgroup). Let Gal(Q(ζp )/Q) = {σ1 , . . . , σp−1 }. We
know that
⎧
⎪
⎪
⎪pp−2 , if p ≡ 1 (mod 4)
det(σi (ζpj ))2
= dQ(ζp ) = ⎨
⎪
⎪
⎩−p , if p ≡ 3 (mod 4)
⎪ p−2
√ √ √
Note that dQ(ζp ) ∈ Q(ζp ). Hence p ∈ Q(ζp ) if p ≡ 1 (mod 4) and −p ∈ Q(ζp ) if
√ √
p ≡ 3 (mod 4). Thus Q( p) ⊂ Q(ζp ) if p ≡ 1 (mod 4) and Q( −p) ⊂ Q(ζp ) if p ≡ 3
(mod 4). The result follows from the uniqueness proved above.
(5) Let n > 2 be an integer. Define Q(ζn )+ ∶= Q(ζn + ζn−1 ). Then
(a) Show that Q(ζn )+ is contained in R.
(b) Determine the minimal polynomial of ζn over Q(ζn )+ and show that the degree
of Q(ζn ) over Q(ζn )+ is 2.
(c) Determine Gal(Q(ζn )/Q(ζn )+ ).
(d) If n = pm for some prime p and m ≥ 1, then Q(ζn )/Q(ζn )+ is ramified at p.
(e) If n is not a prime power, then Q(ζn )/Q(ζn )+ is unramified at all finite primes.
(It is not compulsory to submit the solution of part (e))
Solution:
(a) Note that ζn + ζn−1 = e2πi/n + e−2πi/n = 2 cos ( 2π )
n ∈ R. Thus, Q(ζn + ζn ) ⊂ R.
−1
(b) Note that ζn satisfies X 2 − (ζn + ζn−1 )X + 1. Since Q(ζn ) ≠ Q(ζn + ζn−1 ) we have
above polynomial is irreducible over Q(ζn + ζn−1 ). Thus X 2 − (ζn + ζn−1 )X + 1 is
the minimal polynomial of ζn over Q(ζn + ζn−1 ).
(c) Since there is only one group of order 2, thus Gal(Q(ζn )/Q(ζn )+ ) ≅ Z/2Z. In
fact it is generated by the complex conjugation ζn ↦ ζn−1 .
(d) Since p is totally ramified in Q(ζn ) if n = pm we obtain p is the also ramified in
Q(ζn )+ . In fact, it is the only prime ramified in Q(ζn )+ .
(e) See Proposition 2.15 in “Introduction to Cyclotomic Fields” by Lawrence C.
Washington.