5111 Homework 5
5111 Homework 5
5111 Homework 5
Justify all responses with proof and in complete sentences unless otherwise stated. Write up your solutions cleanly
and neatly, and clearly identify all problem numbers. You may use results from earlier parts of problems in later
parts, even if you were unable to solve the earlier parts.
1. Recall that we have shown that a regular n-gon can be constructed with straightedge and compass if and only
if the length cos(2π/n) can be constructed with straightedge and compass.
√
5−1
(a) Show that cos(2π/5) = , and deduce that the regular 5-gon is constructible with straightedge and
4
compass. [Hint: Observe that cos(4π/5) = cos(6π/5) and then use cosine identities to obtain a cubic
equation satised by α = cos(2π/5).]
(b) Show that the regular 9-gon is not constructible with straightedge and compass.
(c) Show that the minimal polynomial of cos(2π/7) over Q is m(x) = 8x3 + 4x2 − 4x − 1. Deduce that the
regular 7-gon is not constructible with straightedge and compass.
4. Let p be a prime, q(x) ∈ Fp [x], and let K be the splitting eld of q(x).
(a) If a ∈ Fp , show that ap = a, and then conclude that q(xp ) = q(x)p .
(b) Show that the Frobenius map ϕp (x) = xp permutes the set of roots of q(x).
5. Let p be a prime, n be a positive integer, and ζpn = e2πi/p denote a primitive pn th root of unity. In class, we
n
p
x −1
proved that the polynomial = xp−1 + xp−2 + · · · + x + 1 was irreducible over Q and used it to deduce
x−1
that [Q(ζp ) : Q] = p − 1. The goal of this problem is to extend this argument to higher prime powers.
n
xp − 1
(a) If n is a positive integer divisible by p but not by p2 , prove that the polynomial q(x) = =
xpn−1 − 1
+1 is irreducible over Q. [Hint: Use Eisenstein's criterion on q(x+1).
n−1 n−1 n−1
xp (p−1) +xp (p−2) +· · ·+xp
Try working with the fraction form of q(x) over Fp .]
(b) Show that [Q(ζpn ) : Q] = pn−1 (p − 1) for any positive integer n.
1
6. Prove that the following are equivalent (suggestion: show that (a)-(d) are equivalent, and then do the others):
(a) Every nonconstant polynomial in F [x] has a root in F .
(b) Every nonconstant polynomial in F [x] splits completely in F .
(c) If K/F is an algebraic extension, then K = F .
(d) If K/F is a nite-degree extension, then K = F .
(e) F is the algebraic closure of some eld E .
(f) Two polynomials in F [x] are relatively prime if and only if they have no common roots in F .
(g) For any positive integer n, every linear transformation T : F n → F n has at least one nonzero eigenvector
in F n .