If $\alpha$ is not algebraic over $Z_{p}$ then $x^p - \alpha$ is inseparable over $Z_{p}(\alpha)$

99 Views Asked by At

If $\alpha$ is not algebraic over $Z_{p}$ then $x^p - \alpha$ is inseparable over $Z_{p}(\alpha)$ to prove this I supposed $x^p - \alpha$ is separable. Since $char(Z_{p}(\alpha))=p$ and by the form of the polynomial we can conclude through a theorem that $x^p - \alpha$ can't be irreducible, so it is reducible. Any hints to complete?

Note that I'm working here with the old definition of separability.

1

There are 1 best solutions below

0
On BEST ANSWER

The point here is that we are working with the "old definition of separability". We have the following theorem:

Suppose that $f\in F[x]$ is irreducible over $F$. Then $f$ is inseparable over $F$ if and only if $char(F)$ is a prime, say p, and $f(x)$ has the following form: $f(x)=a_{0} +a_{1}x^p +...+a_{n}x^{n.p}$.

In our care, if $x^p - \alpha$ is irreducible then by applying the above theorem for $F=Z_{p}(\alpha)$ we can get directly that $x^p - \alpha$ is inseparable.

If not, then we can write: $x^p - \alpha = g(x)h(x)$ where $g$ is irreducible over $Z_{p}(\alpha)$. Let $\beta$ to be a root of $g$ in $K$:=the splitting field of $x^p - \alpha$, then $\beta$ is also a root for $x^p - \alpha$, thus $\beta^p=\alpha$. We have now $x^p-\alpha = x^p -\beta^p=(x-\beta)^p$. So we conclude that $g(x)=(x-\beta)^i$ for some $1\leq i \leq p-1$. Since $g$ irreducible, then if $2\leq i$ then $g$ is clearly inseparable. If not then $g(x)= x-\beta$. Thus $\beta \in Z_{p}(\alpha)$, i.e. $\beta=m(\alpha)/n(\alpha)$ for some polynomials $m,n \in Z_{p}[x]$ and such that $n(\alpha)$ is not zero. Take now $t(x):=n(x^p).x-m(x^p)$. It is clear that $t\in Z_{p}[x]$ and $t(\beta)=0$. Therefore $\beta$ is algebraic over $Z_{p}$ and so is $\alpha$, contradiction. So this case is not possible and the proof is completed.