Exercise 14.2.10

Let Φ p ( x ) be the cyclotomic polynomial whose roots are the primitive p th roots of unity, where p is prime. We know that Φ p ( x ) is irreducible of degree p 1 . In the quotation given in the Historical Notes, Galois asserts that Φ p ( x ) is imprimitive.

(a)
Prove Galois’s claim for p > 3 using Exercise 9.
(b)
Explain why we need to assume that p > 3 in part (a).

Answers

Proof. (a) We know that the splitting field of Φ p ( x ) over is L = ( ζ p ) (where ζ p = e 2 p ), and that Gal ( L ) ( pℤ ) , via the isomorphism

{ Gal ( L ) ( pℤ ) σ a : σ ( ζ p ) = ζ p a .

Therefore, Gal ( L ) is Abelian, and even cyclic with order p 1 . Let Gal ( L ) G S p 1 . If p > 3 , then p 1 is not prime, and Exercise 9 prove that G is imprimitive, so that Φ p ( x ) is imprimitive. (b) If p = 3 , p 1 = 2 is prime, and ( 3 ) = { 1 , 1 } is cyclic of prime order. Moreover Φ 3 ( x ) = x 2 + x + 1 is not imprimitive, as every polynomial of degree 2: by Definition 14.2.2, if f is imprimitive, since k > 1 , l > 1 , deg ( f ) | R 1 | + | R 2 | > 2 .

If p = 2 , ( 2 ) = { 1 } , and Φ 2 ( x ) = x + 1 . Since deg ( Φ 2 ) = 1 , Φ 2 ( x ) is not imprimitive. □

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2022-07-19 00:00
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