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Let $F$ be a field, and $f$ an irreducible polynomial in $F[x]$.

Is $F[x]/(f)$ necessarily of the form $F(\alpha)$, where $\alpha$ is a root of $f$?

The only examples I know, e.g. $\mathbb{R}[x]/(x^2+1)\cong\mathbb{R}(i)\cong\mathbb{C}$ seems to support the argument.

What I know is $K=F[x]/(f)$ is a field when $f$ is irreducible, and $[K:F]=\deg f$.

Thanks for any help in proving or disproving.

yoyostein
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3 Answers3

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Yes.

To make your question more precise, you ask if whenever $F\subseteq K$ is a field extension and $f\in F[X]$ is irreducible over $F$, with root $\alpha\in K$, do we have that $F(\alpha)\cong F[X]/f$.

Consider $\phi\colon F[X]\to F[\alpha]$ defined as identity on $F$ and $X\mapsto \alpha$. This is a well-defined homomorphism, and you can check that its kernel is precisely $(f)$. Indeed, if for $g\in F[X]$ we have that $\phi(g)=0$, it means that by definition $g(\alpha)=0$. But then, since $f$ is the minimal polynomial of $\alpha$ (because $\alpha$ is its root and it is irreducible), you must have that $f$ divides $g$, whence $g\in (f)$. Conversely, if $g\in (f)$, clearly $\varphi(g)=f(\alpha)\cdot h(\alpha)=0$.

By the preceding paragraph, $\phi$ induces an isomorphism $\bar\phi\colon F[X]/(f)\to F[\alpha]$ (it is clearly onto!). Since you know that $F[X]/(f)$ is a field, $F[\alpha]$ is also a field, so $F[\alpha]=F(\alpha)$ and we are done.

tomasz
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  • Thanks. What if $f$ has another root $\beta$? Then $F(\alpha)\cong F(\beta)$ right? – yoyostein Nov 11 '16 at 01:04
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    @yoyostein: Yes, of course. This argument does not rely on any property of $\alpha$ beyond it being a root of $f$, so you have also $F(\beta)\cong F[X]/(f)$ and hence $F(\beta)\cong F(\alpha)$. – tomasz Nov 11 '16 at 12:33
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Consider the homomorphism from $F[X]$ to $F[\alpha]$ that sends $g$ to $g(\alpha)$ has kernel generated by $f$ (as $F$ field,$f$ can be assumed to be monic and it is given to be irreducible).Then the homomorphism gives isomorphism of $F(X)/(f)$ and $F[\alpha]$.This implies $F[\alpha]$ is a field and hence it is $F(\alpha)$.

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Yes, just let $\alpha = x + (f) \in F[x]/(f)$.

lhf
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