Math 380 Assignment 8

Zachary Effman
November 2016
5.1: Let qCB be prime. Then f (V (q)) = V (f (q)): the inclusion f (V (q))
V (f (q)) is clear. Conversely, let p V (f (q)), i.e. p f (q). Then f (p)
f (f (q)). Note f (f (q)) = f (f 1 (q)) = q f (A). Now by 5.10 there is a prime
ideal q0 of B with f (p) = f (A) q0 . Then p = f 1 (f (p)) = f 1 (f (A) q0 ) =
f 1 (q0 ) = f (q). This establishes the reverse inclusion. Closed sets are mapped
to closed sets.
5.2: Let be the set of pairs of subrings C of B and functions fC : C
such that fC |A = f . Define a partial order (C, fC ) (D, fD ) if C D and
fD |C = fC . Given any chain (C , f ), set C = C and define f : C by
f (x) = f (x) where is such that x C . The consistency condition on the
f ensure this is well-defined and the pair in . Zorns lemma gives a maximal
subring-extension pair (C, fC ). We must show B = C. Suppose we had an
element b B \ C. Then b satisfies a polynomial over A (and thus over C):
bn + c1 bn1 + ... + cn = 0. If we set p = xn + c1 xn1 + ... + cn C[x], we may
map this to a polynomial p [x]. This has a root . We may then extend
fC to C[x] via p 7 p(). This is a homomorphism whose kernel contains (p),
so it induces a map C[x]/(p) , but C[x]/(p)
= C[b], so we have a proper
extension of the map. This shows we can have no element in B \ C; B = C.
5.3: Since sums of integral elements are integral, we need only confirm that
pure tensors are integral. Take b0 c B A C arbitrary. We know b0 satisfies
a polynomial over f (B) : b0n + 1 b0n1 + ... + n = 0 where the i f (B). Then
(b0 c)n +(1 c)(b0 c)n1 +...+(n cn ) = (b0n cn )+(1 b0n1 cn )+...+(n cn ) =

(b0n + 1 b0n1 + ... + n ) cn = 0 cn = 0

.
5.4: Set A = k[x2 1], B = k[x] with k a field, and take n = (x 1)B maximal in Spec(B). We see B is integral over A since x is a root of p(X) =
X 2 (x2 1) + 1 A[X]. Since A = k + (x2 1)k[x], we have m =
n A = ((x 1)k[x]) (k + (x2 1)k[x]) = (x2 1)k[x] = (x2 1)A . Now
1

x+1
/ (x 1)B , so 1/(x + 1) Bn . Suppose this element were integral over
Am . It would obey an equation (x + 1)n + pq11 (x + 1)n+1 + ... + pqnn = 0, where
pi k[x2 1], qi k[x2 1] \ (x2 1). In particular, none of the qi vanish at 1.
Then multiplying through by (x + 1)n yields 1 + pq11 (x + 1) + ... + pqnn (x + 1)n = 0.
Evaluatiing at x = 1 gives 1 = 0, a contradiction.
5.5: i. Let x A be a unit in B so that bx = 1 with b in B. b satisfies
an equation bn + a1 bn1 + ... + an = 0. Multiply through by xn1 to get
b + a1 + ... + an xn1 = 0 b = (a1 + ... + an xn1 ) A.
ii. Let m be maximal in A. By 5.10, there is a maximal ideal n of B with
m = A n. That the contraction of a maximal ideal is maximal is clear. This
gives R(A) = R(B).
5.6: We need only consider n = 2; the result will follow by induction. Let
B, C be integral A-algebras. Take (b, c) B C arbitrary. Then there are
f, g A[x] with f (b) = g(c) = 0. Then f (b, c) = (0, f (c)); g(b, c) = (g(b), 0). In
this case, (f g)(b, c) = f (b, c)g(b, c) = (0, f (c))(g(b), 0) = (0, 0).
5.7: Take A a subring of B with B \ A multiplicatively closed. Take b B integral over A so that bn +a1 bn1 +..+an = 0. This gives bn +a1 bn1 +..+an1 b =
b(bn1 +a1 bn2 +...+an1 ) A. By multiplicative closure of B \A, both factors
are in A. In particular, b A, and A is integrally closed in B.
5.8: Take A a subring of B an integral domain. Let C be the integral closure
of A in B. Let f, g B[x] be monic with f g C[x]. Take k a field containing
B such that f and g split in k. We can do this by taking k 0 = Frac(B), k the
splitting field of f and g over k 0 . Write f = (x i ), g = (x i ). The i , i
are then the roots of f g C[x] and thus integral over C. The coefficients of f g
and g are polynomial functions of their respective roots, so f, g C[x].
5.9: Let A be a subring of B and C the integral closure of A in B. Let f B[x]
be integral over A[x]. Then we have an equation f n + g1 f n1 + ... + gn = 0
with gi A[x]. Let r > max{n, g1 , ..., gn }. Set f1 = f xr . Then
(f1 +xr )n +g1 (f1 +xr )n1 +...+gn = 0. Rewrite this f1n +h1 f1n1 +...+hn = 0.
We have hn = (xr )n + g1 (x)(xr )n1 + ... + gn (x) A[x]. As in 5.7, we now have
f1 (f1n1 + h1 f n2 + ... + hn1 ) A[x].
5.10: i. (a) (b): Let f be a closed mapping. Take p1 p2 prime in
f (A), q1 f (A) = p1 . Since V (q) is closed, f (V (q1 )) is a closed set containing
p1 , so {p1 } = V (p1 ) f (V (q1 )).
(b)(c): If p a in Spec(A/p), the going-up property gives a b containing pc
with f (b) = a. Then f : Spec(B/q) Spec(A/p) is surjective. The same
argument runs in reverse.
5.12: Take x A. x is a root of the polynomial p(t) = G (t (x)).

For any G we have (p) = G (t ((x))) = p(t), so the coefficients of

p are in AG .
The clear extension is a/s = (a)/(s); this is well-defined because (S)
S. Finally, define a map (S 1 A)G (S G )1 (AG ) via a/s (S 1 A)G 7
(a)/(s), where = 1 2 ... n . This is well-defined: suppose a/s = a0 /s0
so that t(as0 a0 s) = 0. Then t((a)(s0 ) (a0 )(s)) = (1 (t))(as0
a0 s) = (t(as0 a0 s)) = (0) = 0. It is surjective as for a/s (S G )1 (AG ),
(1 (a)/1 (s)) = (a)/(s) = a/s so 1 (a)/1 (s) (S 1 A)G . It is
injective as (a)/(s) = (a0 )/(s0 ) implies t S G : t(as0 a0 s) = 0 =
(t(as0 a0 s)) t(as0 a0 s) = 0.
5.16: Take k infinite. Let x1 , ..., xn generate A as a k-algebra. Renumber
the xi such that x1 , ..., xr are algebraically independent over k and xr+1 , ..., xn
are algebraic over k[x1 , ..., xr ]. We induct on n. If n = r, we are done, so take
n > r and assume the result up to n 1. In this case, xn is algebraic over
k[x1 , ..., xn 1], so there is a polynomial f in n variables with f (x1 , ..., xn ) = 0.
Take F the homogeneous part of highest degree. Since k is infinite, there exist
i with F (1 , ..., n1 , 1) 6= 0. Set x0i := xi i xn . Set A0 = k[x01 , ..., x0n1 ].
We evaluate F in the first n 1 variables G(x) = F (x01 , ..., x0n1 , x) to obtain a
polynomial in A0 [x]. G vanishes at xn , so xn is integral over A0 , and the whole
ring A is integral over A0 . The induction hypothesis yields y1 , ..., yn1 algebraically independent such that A0 is integral over A[y1 , ..., yn1 ]. Set yn = xn
to complete the proof.