MORE HOMEWORK SOLUTIONS

MATH 114

Problem set 8.
1. Let F be the splitting field of the polynomial x4 + 25 over Q. List all subfields
in F and the corresponding subgroups in the Galois group.
Solution. As we proved in class (F/Q) = 4. The Galois group √ G is the Klein
subgroup of S4 , isomorphic to Z2 ×Z2 . Note that F contains i and 5, each subgroup
of G√of
index 2 √
corresponds

to a subfield of degree 2. There are 3 such subfiels Q (i),
Q 5 and Q −5 . The trivial subgroup of G corresponds to F and G corresponds
to Q.
2. Prove that the Galois group of x4 − 5 is isomorphic to D4 . Hint: prove that
the degree of the splitting field is 8, then recall that the Galois group is a subgroup
of S4 .
Solution. By Eisenstein criterion x4 − 5 is irreducible. Let F be a splitting field,
then we have the following chain of extensions
Q ⊂ Q (α) ⊂ Q (α, i) = F,
where α is a real root of x4 − 5. Thus,
(F/Q) = (Q (α, i) /Q (α)) (Q (α) /Q) = 2 × 4 = 8,
the Galois group G is a subgroup of S4 of order 8. Since G is a Sylow subgroup of S4
and all such subgroups are conjugate, hence isomorphic, we obtain G is isomorphic
to D4 .
3. Prove that the Galois group of x4 + 5x2 + 5 over Q is cyclic of order 4. Hint:
use the formula for the roots.
Solution. The polynomial is irreducible by Eisenstein criterion. The roots can be
found from the formulae
√ !1/2
−5 ± 5
α1,2 = , α3,4 = −α1,2.
2
First, we prove that the splitting field has degree 4. Indeed
√
α1 α2 = 5 = 2α21 + 5,
hence
5
α2 = 2α1 + ∈ Q (α1 ) , α3 = −α1 ∈ Q (α1 ) , α4 = −α2 ∈ Q (α1 ) .
α1
Date: April 4, 2006.
1
2 MORE HOMEWORK SOLUTIONS MATH 114

The Galois group G is a subgroup of S4 of order 4. There exists s ∈ G such that

s (α1) = α2 , then
√  √
s 5 = 2s (α1 )2 + 5 = 2α22 + 5 = − 5.

Then
√ ! √
5 − 5
s (α2 ) = s = = −α1 = α3 , s (α3 ) = s (−α1) = −α2 = α4 .
α1 α2
The order of s is 4, therefore G is isomorphic to Z4 .
4. Let f (x) = x4 + ax2 + b ∈ Q [x], b 6= 0. √
(a) Prove that if α is a root of f (x), then −α and αb are also roots.
(b) Prove that the degree of the splitting field is 1,2,4 or 8.
(c) Prove that the Galois group is isomorphic to {1}, Z2 , Z2 × Z2 , Z4 or D4 .
Solution. (a) can be done by direct check. Indeed,
√ !4 √ !2
b b b2 + abα2 + bα4 b + aα2 + α4
+a +b= = = 0.
α α α4 bα4
√  √ 
To show (b) denote the splitting filed by F . Then b ∈ F and Q α, b clearly
contains all roots of x4 + ax2 + b. (Q (α) /Q) = 1, 2 or 4 (this
 degree
 √can not be
 3,
because the polynomial could not have only one rational root), Q α, b /Q (α) =
1 or 2. Hence
  √     √  
Q α, b /Q = (Q (α) /Q) Q α, b /Q (α) = 1, 2, 4 or 8.

Finally, for (c) note that the order of the Galos group is the same as the degree of
the splitting field. Thus, if the order is 2, the group is Z2 , if the order is 4 the group
is either Z2 × Z2 or Z4 . If the order of the Galois group is 8, the group is isomorphic
to D4 , because it is a subgroup of S4 (see the previous problem).
5. For a cubic polynomial f (x) = x3 + ax + b the discriminant is given by the
formula
D = −4a3 − 27b2 .
Assume that a and b are real numbers. Prove that D is negative if and only if f (x)
has exactly one real root.
Solution. Use
D = (α1 − α2 )2 (α2 − α3 )2 (α1 − α3)2 ,
where α1 , α2, α3 are the roots. If all 3 roots are real, then D is a square of a real
number. Hence D ≥ 0. Assume that α1 , α2 are complex conjugate, α3 is real. Write
α1 = a + bi, α2 = a − bi, α3 = c.
 MORE HOMEWORK SOLUTIONS MATH 114 3

Then
2
D = (bi)2 (a − c − bi)2 (a − c + bi)2 = −b2 (a − c)2 + b2 < 0.
6. Assume that f (x) = g (x) h (x) for some separable polynomials f (x) , g (x) , h (x) ∈
F [x]. Denote by Ef , Eg and Eh the splitting fields of the polynomials f (x) , g (x)
and h (x) respectively. Let
(Ef /F ) = (Eg /F ) (Eh /F ) .
Prove that the Galois group of f (x) is isomorphic to the direct product of the Galois
groups of g (x) and h (x).
Solution. Let G = AutF Ef be the Galois group of f (x) , K = AutEg E, H =
AutEh E. Since Eg and Eh are normal extensions of F, K and H are normal subgroups
of G and by fundamental theorem of Galois theory
AutF Eh ∼= G/H, AutF Eg ∼ = G/K.
Consider the subgroup U = K ∩ H ⊂ G. Note that U fixes every element of Eg
and Eh , but Eg Eh = Ef , therefore K ∩ H = {1}. Consider the restriction map
r : G → AutF Eh , the kernel of r is H. Therefore r : K → AutF Eh is injective as
K ∩ H = {1}. Note that r is surjective because
(Ef /F ) |G|
| AutF Eh | = (Eh /F ) = = = |K|.
(Eg /F ) |G/K|
Thus, r is an isomorphism and we obtain K ∼ = AutF Eh . Similarly H ∼= AutF Eg .
Finally G = KH, because |KH| = |K||H| = |G|.
Problem set # 9
1. Let n = p, or 2p where p is a prime number. Prove that the Galois group of the
polynomial xn − 1 over any field F is cyclic.
Solution. We may assume that the characteristic does not divide n, because
otherwise the Galois group is trivial. Then the roots of xn − 1 form a cyclic group,
and the Galois group G of xn − 1 is a subgroup of automorphisms of Zn , in other
words G ⊂ Z∗n . If n = p is prime, then Z∗n is cyclic as the multiplicative group of
a finite field. If n = 2p, p > 2, then Z∗2p is isomorphic to Z∗p . (The isomorphism
f : Z∗p → Z∗2p can be given, for example, by f (x) = x for odd x, f (x) = x + p for
even x ). If n = 4, then Z∗4 ∼= Z2 is cyclic. A subgroup of a cyclic group is cyclic.
Hence G is cyclic.
2. Show that the Galois group of x15 − 1 over Q is isomorphic to Z2 × Z4 .
Solution. The Galois group of x15 − 1 is isomorphic to Z∗15 . One has an isomor-
phism Z∗15 ∼= Z∗3 × Z∗5 ∼
= Z2 × Z4 . One can take 4 and 7 as generators.
3. Find the Galois groups of x6 − 1 over F5 , F25 and F125 .
Solution. We know that the Galois group of a finite extension is always cyclic.
Thus, we just have to find the degree of a splitting field. Since we have the decom-
position
x6 − 1 = (x − 1) (x + 1) x2 + x + 1 x2 − x + 1 ,



4 MORE HOMEWORK SOLUTIONS MATH 114

and if α is a root of x2 + x + 1, then −α is a root of x2 − x + 1, the splitting field

for x6 − 1 coincides with the splitting field of x2 + x + 1. Note that x2 + x + 1 does
not have roots in F5 , therefore it is irreducible over F5 . Therefore the splitting field
for x2 + x + 1 is isomorphic to F25 . Thus, the Galois group over F5 is isomorphic to
Z2 , the Galois group over F25 is trivial. Note that x2 + x + 1 does not have roots in
F125 , because F125 has degree 3 over F5 and does not contain a subfield of degree 2.
Thus, the Galois group over F125 is again Z2 .
4. Let F ⊂ E be an extension of finite fields. Prove that
|E| = |F |(E/F ).
Solution. Let m = (E/F ). Choose a basis α1 , . . . , αm in E over F . Every element
α ∈ E can be written uniquely as α = b1α1 + · · · + bm αm with b1 , . . . , bm ∈ F . Hence
|E| = |F |m.
5. Let f (x) ∈ Zp [x] be an irreducible polynomial of degree 3. Prove that f (x) is
irreducible over Fp5 .
Solution. Assume that f (x) is reducible over Fp5 . Then there is root α of f (x)
lying in Fp5 . Then Zp (α) is a subfield of Fp5 . On the other hand
(Fp5 /Zp ) = 5, (Zp (α) /Zp ) = 3,
hence 3 divides 5. Contradiction.
6. Let q = pk for some prime p, n be a number relatively prime to p, m be the
minimal positive integer such that
q m ≡ 1 mod n.
Show that the Galois group of xn − 1 over Fq is isomorphic to Zm .
Solution. Let E be the unique extension of Fq of degree m. We will prove that
E is a splitting field of xn − 1 over Fq . Let E ∗ denote the multiplicative group of
E. Then E ∗ is cyclic of order q m − 1. Since n divides q m − 1, E ∗ contains a cyclic
subgroup of order n. Elements of this cyclic subgroup are the roots of xn − 1. To
check that E is a splitting field, we need to show that every proper subfield of E does
not contain all roots for xn − 1. Indeed, let B be a subfield such that F ⊂ B ⊂ E.
Then |B| = q s for some s < m. Then n does not divide |B ∗| = q s − 1 and therefore
B ∗ can not contain a cyclic subgroup of order n.
To finish the problem, just note that the Galois group of xn − 1 is AutFq E ∼ = Zm .