Algebraic number theory
Algebraic number theory is a branch of number theory that uses the techniques of abstract algebra to study the integers, rational numbers, and their generalizations. Number-theoretic questions are expressed in terms of properties of algebraic objects such as algebraic number fields and their rings of integers, finite fields, and function fields. These properties, such as whether a ring admits unique factorization, the behavior of ideals, and the Galois groups of fields, can resolve questions of primary importance in number theory, like the existence of solutions to Diophantine equations.
History of algebraic number theory[edit]
Diophantus[edit]
The beginnings of algebraic number theory can be traced to Diophantine equations,[1] named after the 3rd-century Alexandrian mathematician, Diophantus, who studied them and developed methods for the solution of some kinds of Diophantine equations. A typical Diophantine problem is to find two integers x and y such that their sum, and the sum of their squares, equal two given numbers A and B, respectively:
Basic notions[edit]
Failure of unique factorization[edit]
An important property of the ring of integers is that it satisfies the fundamental theorem of arithmetic, that every (positive) integer has a factorization into a product of prime numbers, and this factorization is unique up to the ordering of the factors. This may no longer be true in the ring of integers O of an algebraic number field K.
A prime element is an element p of O such that if p divides a product ab, then it divides one of the factors a or b. This property is closely related to primality in the integers, because any positive integer satisfying this property is either 1 or a prime number. However, it is strictly weaker. For example, −2 is not a prime number because it is negative, but it is a prime element. If factorizations into prime elements are permitted, then, even in the integers, there are alternative factorizations such as
Major results[edit]
Finiteness of the class group[edit]
One of the classical results in algebraic number theory is that the ideal class group of an algebraic number field K is finite. This is a consequence of Minkowski's theorem since there are only finitely many Integral ideals with norm less than a fixed positive integer[15] page 78. The order of the class group is called the class number, and is often denoted by the letter h.
Related areas[edit]
Algebraic number theory interacts with many other mathematical disciplines. It uses tools from homological algebra. Via the analogy of function fields vs. number fields, it relies on techniques and ideas from algebraic geometry. Moreover, the study of higher-dimensional schemes over Z instead of number rings is referred to as arithmetic geometry. Algebraic number theory is also used in the study of arithmetic hyperbolic 3-manifolds.
