Unit-I

Rings (1) Definition and elementary properties of rings (where the definition should include the
existence of unity), commutative rings, integral domains and fields. Examples, including Z, Q, R, Z/nZ,
C, Mn(R), Z*i+, Z*√2+, Z*√−5+, Z*X+, R*X+, C*X+,(Z/nZ)*X].

(2) Units in a ring, Subrings and Ideals in a ring. Sum and product of ideals.

(3) Characteristic of a ring.

(4) Quotient Rings and Ring homomorphisms

Important theorems:

1) R is a ring with multiplicative identity, then (a) Show that the set of units in R form a group under
multiplication. (b) The set Z(R) ={a : ax=xa; x R} , called the center of the ring is a subring of R.

2) (a) Show that every element of a finite commutative ring is either a unit or a zero divisor.

(b) Show that every element of Zn is either a unit or a zero divisor.

3) (a) Show that, characteristic of a ring R is n if and only if the order of the multiplicative identity of
R is n in the group (R, +).

(b) Show that characteristic of an integral domain is either 0 or a prime.

4) Let be a ring and I and J be ideals of Prove that:

i) I J is an ideal of

ii) I+J={a + b/ a is an ideal of

iii) IJ={∑ for n is an ideal of

5) If I is an ideal of a ring R, then show that R/I = { x + I : x R} is a ring with the operations:

(x + I) + (y + I) = (x + y) + I and (x + I)(y + I) = xy + I.

6) Let I be an ideal in a ring R and η: R R/I is defined by η(a) = a + I for a R. Show that η is a ring
homomorphism and ker η = I.

7) State and prove the First Isomorphism Theorem (Fundamental theorem of homomorphism) of
rings.

Unit-II

1) Principal ideal, maximal ideal and prime ideals.

2) Fields and relation between integral domains, Examples

3) Notions of Euclidean domain (ED), principal ideal domain (PID). And Unique factorization domain

4) Examples such as Z, Z[i], Relation between these two notions (ED ⇒ PID).
Important theorems:

1) Show that the maximal ideals of are <p> where p is a prime divisor of n.

2) Show that a field is an integral domain. Is the converse true? Justify your answer.

3) Show that a finite integral domain is a field. Give an example of an infinite integral
domain which is not a field.

4) Show that characteristic of a field is either zero or a prime number.

5) Show that the ring Zn of residue classes modulo n is field if and only if n is a prime
number.

6) Show that a field has no ideals except 0 and itself.

7) Show that an ideal P in a commutative ring R is a prime ideal if and only if R/P is an
integral domain.

8) Show that an ideal M in a commutative ring R is a maximal ideal if and only if R/M is a
field.

9) If R is a finite commutative ring prove that every prime ideal is maximal.

10) Let I be an ideal of ℤ. Prove that I is a prime ideal if and only if either I={0} or I=pℤ
where p is a prime number.

11) Show that every non-zero prime ideal in Z is a maximal ideal.

12) Show that an ideal I in the ring Z of integers is a maximal ideal if and only if I = pZ
where p is a prime number.

Unit-III

1) Divisibility in an integral domain, Irreducible and prime elements with examples,

(2) Division algorithm in F[X] (where F is a field). Monic polynomials,units in R[x],

3) Factorization of polynomials, irreducibility tests, Eisenstein criteria.

Important theorems:

1. Let R be a ring. Let R[x] = anxx + an−1xn−1 + a1x + a0 : ai R, n Z+ . Show

2. Let F be a field.

(a) Show that F[x] is an integral domain. Is it a field? Justify your answer.
(b) Show that only units in F[x] are the non-zero elements of F.

Statement only: Division Algorithm: For any pair of non-constant polynomials f (x),g(x)
F[x], there exist q(x), r(x) F[x] such that f (x) = g(x)q(x) + r(x) where r(x) = 0 or deg r(x) <
deg g(x).

3.a) Let F be a field. Show that every ideal of F [x] is principal ideal.

b) Let F be a field a F, and f (x) F [x]. Then a is a zero of f (x) if and only x -a is a
factor of f (x).

4. Define irreducible polynomials. Let F be a field, f(x) F [x] and deg f (x) = 2 or 3.
Show that f (x) is reducible over F if and only if f (x) has a zero in F .

5) Show that

(a) if F is a field, f (x) and g(x) in F [x] are associate if and only if f (x) = cg(x) where
c not equal to 0 in F. OR

If R is an integral domain f (x) and g(x) in R[x] are associate iff f (x) = cg(x) where
c is a unit in R.

(b) Let F be a field and let f (x), g(x), h(x) F [x]. If f (x) is irreducible over F and

f (x)|g(x)h(x),then f (x)|g(x) or f (x)|h(x).

(In R[x] or Q[x], C[x]) if f(x) is irreducible and f (x)|g(x)h(x),then f (x)|g(x) or f (x)|h(x).

6. Let F be a field. Show that (p(x)) is a maximal ideal in f [x] if and only if p(x) is an
irreducible polynomial in F [x]. OR

Let F be a field. Show that F [x]/ < p(x) > is a field if and only if p(x) is an irreducible
polynomial in F [x].

7. Show that any a non-zero ideal of F[x] is prime if and only if it is maximal.

Statement only: Show that the only irreducible polynomials in R[x] are a linear polynomial
x−a or quadratic polynomial x2 + bx + c such that b2 − 4c < 0, where a, b, c R.

8) Let f( ) [ ] be a monic polynomial.

9) Prove that every prime element in an integral domain is irreducible. Is the converse true?
Justify

10) a) State Eisenstein’s Criteria for Irreducibility Let f (x) = anxn + · · · + a0 Z[x] and an
/= 0 if r/s Q,(r, s) = 1, f (r/s) = 0 then show that r/an, s/a0.

b) Show that p1/n is irrational where n > 1 and p is a prime.