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Subject: Algebra IV
Semester V
Lesson: Field Extensions, Splitting Field and Perfect Fields
Lesson Developer: Atul Gaur
College/Department: Department of Mathematics,
University of Delhi.
Contents
Lesson: Field Extensions, Splitting Field and Perfect Fields ................................. 1
1. Extension Fields ......................................................................................................... 3
2. Splitting Fields ............................................................................................................ 5
3. Multiple Zeros of an irreducible Polynomial .................................................. 13
4. Perfect Fields ............................................................................................................. 15
Exercises ................................................................................................................................ 17
References ................................................................................................................................ 18
Recall that a field is a non-zero commutative ring in which every non-zero element
admits its multiplicative inverse. The most natural examples of field are the field of rational
numbers Q , field of real numbers R and the field of complex numbers C . In this chapter we
will study the roots of a polynomial over a given field, existence of splitting fields and the
perfect fields.
1. Extension Fields
We begin this section with the following definition.
Example 1.2
1. R is an extension of Q .
2. C is an extension of R .
3. C is an extension of Q .
Consider a polynomial f ( x) = x 2 + 1 over Q . We know that there is no rational
number Q such that f ( ) = 0 . However, f (x) has a zero, viz. `i` in C .
Now given any non-constant polynomial f (x) over a field F , the natural question is,
is there an extension of F containing a root of f (x) ? The answer is given by fundamental
theorem of field theory and is also known as Kroneckers theorem, which is our next result.
=< p ( x) >,
F [ x]
a zero element in .
< p( x) >
F [ x]
Therefore x+ < p( x) > is a root of p (x) in .
< p( x) >
Note: The result of the last theorem may not hold if we replace the field F by a
commutative ring with unity. However as every integral domain can be embedded in a field,
F can be replaced by an integral domain safely.
2. Splitting Fields
In the last section, we have seen that given any polynomial f (x) over a field F ,
there exists an extension E of F containing a root of f (x) . We now extend the same
question further; given a polynomial f (x) over a field F , does there exists an extension E
of F containing all the roots of f (x) ? The answer is yes. We will elaborate the same in this
section.
It is clear from the above definition that a splitting field depends not only on the
polynomial but also on the field F . The next example also elaborates the same.
Now consider f ( x) = x 3 2 R[ x] .
To get a splitting field of f (x) over R , it is enough to adjoin to R as 2
1/3
R .
Also, as 3 R
R( ) = R(i ) = C, .
Therefore, C is a splitting field of f (x) over R.
vice-versa also.
1 + i 3
Now the zeros of x 2 + x + 1 are and 2 , where = .
2
Thus Q( ) is a splitting field of x + x + 1 over Q and hence Q( ) is a splitting field of
2
f (x) over Q .
1
3 2 = Q( 2 + 3 ).
( 3 + 2)
This gives
( 3 + 2 ) ( 3 2 ) = 2 2 Q( 2 + 3 ),
and hence 2 Q( 2 + 3 ) .
Similarly
( 3 + 2 ) + ( 3 2 ) = 2 3 Q( 2 + 3 ),
and hence 3 Q( 2 + 3 ) .
This implies that
Q( 2 , 3 ) Q( 2 + 3 ).
Therefore,
Q( 2 , 3 ) = Q( 2 + 3 ).
Theorem 1.11 Let f (x) be a non-constant polynomial over a field F . Then there
exists a splitting field off (x) over F .
Proof. Apply induction on deg ( f ( x )) .
If deg ( f ( x) = 1 then F will be a splitting field of f (x) over F .
Assume that the result holds for all fields and for all polynomials having degree strictly less
than deg ( f ( x)) .
Now by Theorem 1.3, there is an extension E of F in which f (x) has a zero, say .
Let F ( ) = F be the subfield of E generated by F and . Then
f ( x) = ( x ) g ( x), where g ( x) F [ x]
and
deg ( g ( x)) < deg ( f ( x)).
Now by induction, there exists a splitting field E of g (x ) over F .
Clearly, E contains and all the roots of g (x ) , which are precisely all the roots of f (x) .
Since E is generated by and all the roots of g (x ) over F , we conclude that E is a
splitting field of f (x) over F .
f (x) .
Z 2 [ x]
As f (x) is a second degree polynomial having a zero in ,
< x + x +1 > 2
Z 2 [ x] Z 2 [ x]
so will contain both the zeros of f (x) and hence is a splitting
< x + x +1 >
2
< x + x +1 >
2
Theorem 1.16 Let p (x) be an irreducible polynomial over a field F , and let be
a zero of p (x) in some extension E of F . Then
F [ x]
F ( ) = F [ ]
< p( x) >
and if deg ( p( x)) = n , then {1, , , n 1} forms a basis of F ( ) as a vector space over F .
Proof. Consider
F [ ] = { f ( ) | f ( x) F [ x]}.
Then F [ ] is a subring of E . Define a ring homomorphism
: F [ x] F [ ],
given by
( f ( x)) = f ( ), for all f ( x) F [ x].
Then is an onto ring homomorphism, as for any g ( ) F [ ] , we have g ( x) F [ x ] such
that ( g ( x)) = g ( ) .
Clearly < p ( x) > Ker ( ) as is a zero of p (x ) .
c = 0 , for some
n 1
suppose
i =0 i
i
c0 , c1 , , cn 1 F .
f ( x) = c x F [ x] .
n 1
Let i
i =0 i
Corollary 1.17 Let , be the roots of an irreducible polynomial p (x) over a field
F , in some extension E , E respectively. Then F ( ) F ( ) .
If possible, suppose
( p ( x)) = f ( x) g ( x).
As is onto, there exist f ( x), g ( x) F [ x] such that
f ( x) = ( f ( x)), g ( x) = ( g ( x)).
Therefore
( p( x)) = f ( x) g ( x),
= ( f ( x)) ( g ( x)),
= ( f ( x) g ( x)),
implies that p ( x) = f ( x) g ( x) , as is a ring isomorphism.
As p (x) is irreducible either f (x) or g (x) must be a constant polynomial.
But this implies that either f (x ) or g (x ) is a constant polynomial as does not change
the degree of any polynomial.
Therefore ( p ( x)) is an irreducible polynomial.
Define a map
F [ x] F [ x]
:
< p( x) > < ( p ( x)) >
given by
( f ( x)+ < p( x) >) = ( f ( x))+ < ( p( x)) > .
Then is a field isomorphism (see exercise 3).
Also by Theorem 1.16,
F [ x] F [ x]
F ( ) and F ( ).
< p ( x) > ( p( x)) >
Therefore
F [ x] F [ x]
F ( ) F ( ).
< p ( x) > < ( p ( x)) >
Also
( ) = ( x+ < p ( x) >),
= ( x + < ( p ( x)) >),
= ,
And (a) = (a + < p( x) >,
= ( (a )+ < ( p ( x) >),
= (a ) for all a F ,
that is, extends .
Uniqueness: Assume deg ( p ( x)) = n . Then deg ( ( p ( x)) = n.
Suppose : F ( ) F ( ) is any other field isomorphism extending and takes to .
By Theorem 1.16, {1, , , n 1
} is a basis of F ( ) over F . Any element of F ( ) can be
n 1
uniquely written as a i , where ai F for all i .
i =0 i
Thus
n 1 n 1
(ai i ) = (ai ) ( i ),
i =0 i =0
n 1
= (ai )( ( ) ) ,
i
i=0
n 1
= (ai ) i ,
i =0
n 1
= (ai )( ( ) ) ,
i
i=0
= (ai i ).
i =0
This gives .
Theorem 1.21 Let F and F be isomorphic fields via an isomorphism and let
f ( x) F [ x] . If E is a splitting field of f (x) over F and E is a splitting field of ( f ( x))
over F then can be extended to an isomorphism between E and E .
Proof. Apply induction on deg ( f ( x)) . If deg ( f ( x)) = 1 , then f (x) is a linear
polynomial and hence E = F , E = F .
Thus is the required map.
Assume the result holds for all polynomials of degree strictly less than deg ( f ( x)) , and
deg ( f ( x)) > 1.
Let p (x ) be an irreducible factor of f (x ) .
Let be a root of p (x ) in E and be a root of ( p ( x)) in E , where : F [ x] F [ x]
is the isomorphism as defined in Lemma 1.19 .
By Proposition 1.20, there exist an isomorphism
: F ( ) F ( )
extending and takes to . As f ( x), x F ( )[ x] ,
f ( x) = ( x ) g ( x) for some g ( x) F ( )[ x].
This gives
( f ( x)) = ( x ) ( g ( x)),
where ( g ( x)) F ( )[ x] .
Note that E is a splitting field of g (x) over F ( ) and E is a splitting field of ( g ( x))
over F ( ).
Since deg ( g ( x)) < deg ( f ( x)) , there is a field isomorphism : E E extending .
() ()
Figure 1
F ( )
= and F
= implies F
= .
Corollary 1.22 Let E , E ' be any two splitting fields of f (x) over a field F . Then
E E '.
Proof. Follows immediately from Theorem 1.21, by putting to be the identity map.
We begin this section with the following definition of derivative of a polynomial f (x)
over a discrete field F .
The next theorem characterizes when a polynomial has a zero of multiplicity greater
Theorem 1.25 Let f (x) be a polynomial over a field F . Then f (x) has a multiple
root in some extension E of F if and only if greatest common divisor of f (x ) and f (x ) is
of degree atleast one in F [x ] .
Proof. First suppose that is a multiple zero of f (x ) in some extension E of F .
Then
f ( x) = ( x ) k g ( x),
where k > 1 is the multiplicity of . This gives
f ( x) = ( x ) k g ( x) + k ( x ) k 1 g ( x).
As k 1 1 , x is a factor of f (x) and f (x ) in E[x] .
Now, if f (x ) and f (x) have no common factor in F [x ] of degree atleast one then by
division algorithm or Euclidean algorithm, there exist q ( x ), r ( x ) F [ x] such that
f ( x)q ( x) + f ( x)r ( x) = 1.
Since F [ x ] E[ x ] , the above equation holds in E[x] too.
But this is a contradiction as x is a factor of f (x ) , f (x ) .
Therefore f (x ) and f (x) have a common factor of degree atleast one in F [x ] .
Conversely assume that f (x ) and f (x) have a common factor, say h(x) , of degree
atleast one in F [x ] .
Then by Theorem 1.11, there exists a splitting field, say E , of h(x) over F . Let be any
zero of h(x) in E . As is a zero of f (x ) too,
f ( x) = ( x ) g ( x),
where g ( x ) E[ x ] . Thus
f ( x) = g ( x) + g ( x)( x ).
This gives
0 = f ( ) = g ( ),
that is, is a zero of g (x ) . But this implies that is a multiple zero of f (x).
In particular, f (x) and f (x) cannot have any common divisor in F [x] of degree atleast
one.
Therefore by Theorem 1.25, f (x) has no mulptiple zeros.
Now assume that f (x) has multiple zeros and characteristic of F is p , where p is a
prime number.
By Theorem 1.25, f (x) and f (x) have a common factor of degree atleast one in F [x] .
As f (x ) is irreducible, the only factors of positive degree of f (x ) in F [x ] is f (x ) itself.
This gives f (x ) divides f (x ) .
As deg ( f ( x )) < deg ( f ( x )) , we conclude that f (x ) = 0 .
This implies that iai = 0 for all i = 1, , n.
As characteristic of F is p , we conclude that either ai = 0 or p divides i for all
i = 1, , n.
This implies that for all nonzero nonconstant coefficient ai in f (x) , p divides i .
Therefore f ( x) = g ( x p ) , for some g ( x) F [ x].
4. Perfect Fields
Clearly, Q, R, C are the perfect fields for being all are of characteristic zero fields. The
finite field Z p , with p elements, where p is a prime number is also a perfect field, as we
have the following theorem.
Theorem 1.29 Let F be a perfect field and let f (x) be an irreducible polynomial
over F . Then f (x) has no multiple zeros.
Proof. If characteristic of F is zero then by Theorem 1.26, f (x ) has no multiple
zeros. We may now assume that characteristic of F is p , where p is a prime number.
Let, if possible, f (x ) has multiple zeroes.
n
Let g ( x) =
i =0 i
a x i F [ x] .
Since F is perfect, there exist bi F such that ai = bip for all i = 0,1 , n .
Thus
f ( x) = g ( x p ) = a0 + a1 x p + a2 x 2 p + + an x np ,
= b0p + b1p x p + b2p x 2 p + + bnp x np ,
= (b0 + b1 x + b2 x 2 + + bn x n ) p .
But this contradicts that f (x) is irreducible . Therefore f (x) has no multiple zeros.
Theorem 1.30 All the zeros of any irreducible polynomial f (x) over a field F
have same multiplicity.
Proof. Let f (x ) be an irreducible polynomial over F and let E be the splitting field
of f (x) over F .
Let , be any distinct zeros of f (x ) in E , of multiplicity m and n , respectively.
Thus g (t 2 ) = t h(t 2 ) , which is a contradiction as deg ( g (t 2 )) is even, whereas deg (t (h(t 2 )))
is odd.
Therefore f (x) is irreducible over F .
Also, f ( x) = 2 x = 0 , which gives f (x ) is a factor of f (x ) and f (x) .
By Theorem 1.25, we conclude that f (x ) has multiple zeros.
Thus, F is not a perfect field.
Exercises
(i ) | Z p ( ) |= p 3 . (ii ) | Z p ( ) |= p 2 .
(iii ) | Z p ( ) |= p 4 . (iv) | Z p ( ) |= p 5 .
(i ) Q( ) = Q( ) . (ii ) Q( ) =/ Q( ) but
Q( ) Q( ) .
(iii ) Q( ) / Q( ) . (iv) Q( ) Q( ) .
References
1. Joseph A. Gallian, Contemporary Abstract Algebra (4th Edition), Narosa
Publishing House.
2. David S. Dummit and Richard M. Foote, Abstract Algebra (3rd Edition),
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
3. John B. Fraleigh, A First Course in Abstract Algebra (7th Edition),
Pearson.