Exercise 6.4

A polynomial f ( x ) ∈ ℤ [ x ] is said to be primitive if the greatest common divisor of its coefficients is 1. Prove that the product of primitive polynomials is also primitive.

Answers

Solution 1

Proof. Let p ( x ) = ∑ ⁡ i = 0 n a i x i , q ( x ) = ∑ j = 0 m b j x j two primitive polynomials, and p a prime number. There exist a coefficient of p ( x ) (and of q ( x ) ) not divisible by p . Let

i 0 = min ⁡ { i ∈ [ 0 , n ] | a i ≢ 0 [ p ] } j 0 = min ⁡ { j ∈ [ 0 , m ] | b j ≢ 0 [ p ] }

Let p ( x ) q ( x ) = ∑ ⁡ k = 0 n + m c k x k . Then c k = ∑ ⁡ i + j = k a i b j , k = 0 , … n + m . Then

c i 0 + j 0 = ∑ i + j = i 0 + j 0 a i b j .

∙ If i < i 0 , then a i ≡ 0 ( mod p ) .

∙ If i > i 0 , then j < j 0 and b j ≡ 0 ( mod p ) .

In the two cases a i b j ≡ 0 ( mod p ) , so c i 0 + j 0 ≡ a i 0 b j 0 ( mod p ) , so c j 0 ≢ 0 ( mod p ) . As it’s true for all primes p , the polynomial p ( x ) q ( x ) is primitive. □

Solution 2

Proof. Let

φ : { ℤ [ x ] → 𝔽 p [ x ] p ( x ) = a 0 + ⋯ + a n x n ↦ p ¯ ( x ) = a 0 ¯ + ⋯ + a n ¯ x n ,

where a i ¯ is the class of a i in 𝔽 p . φ is a ring homomorphism.

As 𝔽 p [ x ] is an integrity domain, if p ( x ) , q ( x ) are both primitive,

p ( x ) ¯ ≠ 0 , q ( x ) ¯ ≠ 0 ⇒ p ( x ) q ( x ) ¯ = p ( x ) ¯ q ( x ) ¯ ≠ 0 .

As p ( x ) q ( x ) ¯ ≠ 0 in all fields 𝔽 p , p ( x ) q ( x ) is a primitive polynomial. □

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2022-07-19 00:00
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