Let $k$ be some field (say of characteristic zero, if it matters) and define $$R=k[x]/(x^2).$$
I want to compute $$\mathrm{Ext}^\bullet_R(k,k)$$ and, in particular, the ring structure on it (though I think I can do this part if I can compute the Ext modules).
I know that we can think of elements of $\mathrm{Ext}^m_R(k,k)$ as length $m+2$ exact sequences of the form $$0\to k\to X_m\to\ldots\to X_1\to k\to0$$ modulo some sensible equivalence relation, and that we can also think of it as $$\mathrm{Ext}^m_R(k,k) = H^m(\mathrm{Hom}_{R\hbox{-}\mathsf{mod}}(P_\bullet,k)) = H^m(\mathrm{Hom}_{R\hbox{-}\mathsf{mod}}(k,I^\bullet))$$ for some projective (or injective) resolution $P_\bullet$ (or $I^\bullet$, respectively) of $k$.
However, when it comes to the hands-on part of actually computing this, I hit a mental block.
Since $R$ is a local ring (with maximal ideal $(x)$) we know that projective modules are exactly the free modules, and so computing a projective resolution will probably be easiest...?
I would appreciate hints and partial answers over explicit answers (though it's likely I might have to ask for more hints if I still struggle...). At this stage I'll take whatever I can get.
Edit: Here is a partial answer, all that remains is the question of the ring structure.
Note that $k\cong R/(x)$ and so we have an epimorphism $\pi\colon R\twoheadrightarrow k$ given by $x\mapsto0$ (the quotient map). If we write $R=k[\varepsilon]$ where $\varepsilon$ is such that $\varepsilon^2=0$ then we obtain the following free resolution of $k$: $$\ldots\xrightarrow{\cdot\varepsilon}k[\varepsilon]\xrightarrow{\cdot\varepsilon}k[\varepsilon]\twoheadrightarrow k\to0.$$
Now any morphism $k[\varepsilon]\to k$ must send $\varepsilon$ to some element $\eta\in k$ such that $\eta^2=0$. But $k$ is a field, and so we are forced to choose $\eta=0$. This means that any such morphism is determined entirely by where it send $1\in k$, and it can send it to any $x\in k$. Thus $$\mathrm{Hom}_{R\hbox{-}\mathsf{mod}}(k[\varepsilon],k)\cong k.$$ So taking $\mathrm{Hom}_{R\hbox{-}\mathsf{mod}}(-,k)$ of the free resolution gives us the sequence $$0\to k\xrightarrow{\cdot0}k\xrightarrow{\cdot0}\ldots$$ which has homology $H_n=\ker d_n/\mathrm{im}\,d_{n+1}=k/0\cong k$ for all $n\geqslant0$. Thus $$\mathrm{Ext}^\bullet_R(k,k)\cong\bigoplus_{n\geqslant0}k$$
So my question now is about the ring structure of $\mathrm{Ext}^\bullet_R(k,k)$, and also about thinking of $\mathrm{Ext}$ as being extensions of $k$ by $k$. Unless I'm wrong, this means that we should be able to construct, taking $n=1$, short exact sequences $$0\to k\hookrightarrow X\twoheadrightarrow k\to0$$ and the collection of all such sequences should be isomorphic to $k$. The first thing that sprang to mind was to take $X=R$ and the epimorphism multiplication by $x\varepsilon$ for $x\in k$, but then I struggle to find a monomorphism into $R$ with the right kernel, and also taking $x=0$ means that the map fails to be an epimorphism.
- What is the correct choice of $\,\,\to X\to\,\,$?
- How can we compute explicitly the ring structure on $\mathrm{Ext}^\bullet_R(k,k)$?
Edit 2: Following the ideas in the comments, I'm trying to explicitly spell out the following isomorphism, but I'm struggling to understand how the quotients are realised on both sides (i.e. the equivalence relations):
I feel like the right-hand side should just be chain maps modulo homotopy equivalence, even though the $\mathrm{Hom}$ complex is just of maps of chains. I'm pretty certain that the lifts $\hat{f}_\bullet$ that we construct are in fact chain maps.