Michaelmas Term 2023 T.A.

Fisher

Galois Theory: Example Sheet 2 of 4

1. Let F be a finite field with q elements. Find a formula in terms of q for the number
of monic irreducible quadratics in F [X]. Deduce that F cannot be algebraically
closed. Find all irreducible polynomials in F2 [X] of degree at most 4.
2. (i) Let u = X1 + ωX2 + ω 2 X3 and v = X1 + ω 2 X2 + ωX3 where ω = e2πi/3 . Find
expressions for u3 + v 3 and uv in terms of the elementary symmetric polynomials
s1 = X1 + XP 2 + X3 , s2 = X1 X2 + X1 X3 + X2 X3 and s3 = X1 X2 X3 .
(ii) Express i6=j Xi3 Xj ∈ Z[X1 , . . . , Xn ] as a polynomial in the elementary sym-
metric polynomials.
3. (i) Let f (X) = ni=1 (X − αi ). Show that f 0 (αi ) = j6=i (αi − αj ), and deduce that
Q Q

Disc(f ) = (−1)n(n−1)/2 ni=1 f 0 (αi ).

Q

(ii) Let f (X) = X n + bX + c = ni=1 (X − αi ), with n > 2. Show that

Q

 
0 −nc
αi f (αi ) = (n − 1)b − αi
(n − 1)b
and deduce that

Disc(f ) = (−1)n(n−1)/2 (1 − n)n−1 bn + nn cn−1 .

4. Show directly from the definition that any quadratic extension is normal. Give an
example of a cubic extension which is normal, and another which is not normal.
5. (i) Let K be a field of characteristic p > 0 such that every element of K is a pth
power. Show that any irreducible polynomial over K is separable.
(ii) Deduce that if F is a finite field, then any irreducible polynomial over F is
separable.
(iii) A field is said to be perfect if every finite extension of it is separable. Show that
any field of characteristic zero is perfect, and that a field of characteristic p > 0 is
perfect if and only if every element is a pth power.
6. Let K be a field of characteristic p > 0, and let α be algebraic over K. Show that
α is inseparable over K if and only if K(α) 6= K(αp ), and that if this is the case,
then p divides [K(α) : K]. Deduce that if L/K is a finite inseparable extension of
fields of characteristic p, then p divides [L : K].
7. Let M/L/K be finite extensions. Show that M is separable over K if and only if
both M/L and L/K are separable extensions.
√ √
8. Let K = Q( 3 2, ω), where ω = e2πi/3 . For which c ∈ Q do we have K = Q( 3 2+cω)?
9. Which of the quadratic extensions from Question 2 on Example Sheet 1 are Galois?

T.A.Fisher@dpmms.cam.ac.uk -1 - 24th October 2023

 10. Let L/K be a finite Galois extension, and F , F 0 intermediate fields.
(i) What is the subgroup of Gal(L/K) corresponding to the subfield F ∩ F 0 ?
'
(ii) Show that if σ : F −→ F 0 is a K-isomorphism, then the subgroups Gal(L/F )
and Gal(L/F 0 ) of Gal(L/K) are conjugate.
√
11. Show that L = Q( 2, i) is a Galois extension of Q and determine its Galois group
G. Write down the lattice of subgroups of G and the corresponding subfields of L.
√
12. Show that L = Q( 4 2, i) is a Galois extension of Q, and show that Gal(L/Q) is
isomorphic to D8 , the dihedral group of order 8. Write down the lattice of subgroups
of D8 (be sure you have found them all!) and the corresponding subfields √of L,
which you √should give explicitly in terms of generators, for example F = Q( 2, i)
or F = Q( 4 2(1 + i)). Which intermediate fields are Galois over Q?

Further problems

13. Let K be a field and c ∈ K. If m, n are coprime positive integers, show that
X mn − c is irreducible if and only if both X m − c and X n − c are irreducible. [One
way is easy. For the other, use the Tower Law.]
14. We say that α is purely inseparable over K if either α ∈ K or char K = p > 0
n
and for some n > 1, αp ∈ K. We say that an algebraic extension L/K is purely
inseparable if every element of L is purely inseparable over K.
Let L/K be a finite extension, and L0 = {α ∈ L | α is separable over K}. Show
that L0 is a subfield of L which is separable over K, and that L is purely inseparable
over L0 .
15. Let L = Fp (X, Y ) be the field of rational functions in two variables over the finite
field Fp (i.e., the field of fractions of Fp [X, Y ]). Let K be the subfield Fp (X p , Y p ).
Show that for any f ∈ L we have f p ∈ K, and deduce that L/K is not a simple
extension (i.e., not of the form K(α)).
16. (i) Let f = g/h be a non-constant rational function in K(X) where g, h are coprime
polynomials. By finding a polynomial in K(f )[T ] with X as a root, and proving
that it is irreducible, show that [K(X) : K(f )] = max(deg g, deg h).
(ii) Deduce that Aut(K(X)/K) ∼ = PGL2 (K).
17. Show that the only field homomorphism R → R is the identity map.

T.A.Fisher@dpmms.cam.ac.uk -2 - 24th October 2023