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Field extension

In mathematics, particularly in algebra, a field extension (denoted ) is a pair of fields , such that the operations of K are those of L restricted to K. In this case, L is an extension field of K and K is a subfield of L.[1][2][3] For example, under the usual notions of addition and multiplication, the complex numbers are an extension field of the real numbers; the real numbers are a subfield of the complex numbers.

Field extensions are fundamental in algebraic number theory, and in the study of polynomial roots through Galois theory, and are widely used in algebraic geometry.

Subfield[edit]

A subfield of a field is a subset that is a field with respect to the field operations inherited from . Equivalently, a subfield is a subset that contains , and is closed under the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and taking the inverse of a nonzero element of .


As 1 – 1 = 0, the latter definition implies and have the same zero element.


For example, the field of rational numbers is a subfield of the real numbers, which is itself a subfield of the complex numbers. More generally, the field of rational numbers is (or is isomorphic to) a subfield of any field of characteristic .


The characteristic of a subfield is the same as the characteristic of the larger field.

Caveats[edit]

The notation L / K is purely formal and does not imply the formation of a quotient ring or quotient group or any other kind of division. Instead the slash expresses the word "over". In some literature the notation L:K is used.


It is often desirable to talk about field extensions in situations where the small field is not actually contained in the larger one, but is naturally embedded. For this purpose, one abstractly defines a field extension as an injective ring homomorphism between two fields. Every non-zero ring homomorphism between fields is injective because fields do not possess nontrivial proper ideals, so field extensions are precisely the morphisms in the category of fields.


Henceforth, we will suppress the injective homomorphism and assume that we are dealing with actual subfields.

Normal, separable and Galois extensions[edit]

An algebraic extension is called normal if every irreducible polynomial in K[X] that has a root in L completely factors into linear factors over L. Every algebraic extension F/K admits a normal closure L, which is an extension field of F such that is normal and which is minimal with this property.


An algebraic extension is called separable if the minimal polynomial of every element of L over K is separable, i.e., has no repeated roots in an algebraic closure over K. A Galois extension is a field extension that is both normal and separable.


A consequence of the primitive element theorem states that every finite separable extension has a primitive element (i.e. is simple).


Given any field extension , we can consider its automorphism group , consisting of all field automorphisms α: LL with α(x) = x for all x in K. When the extension is Galois this automorphism group is called the Galois group of the extension. Extensions whose Galois group is abelian are called abelian extensions.


For a given field extension , one is often interested in the intermediate fields F (subfields of L that contain K). The significance of Galois extensions and Galois groups is that they allow a complete description of the intermediate fields: there is a bijection between the intermediate fields and the subgroups of the Galois group, described by the fundamental theorem of Galois theory.

Generalizations[edit]

Field extensions can be generalized to ring extensions which consist of a ring and one of its subrings. A closer non-commutative analog are central simple algebras (CSAs) – ring extensions over a field, which are simple algebra (no non-trivial 2-sided ideals, just as for a field) and where the center of the ring is exactly the field. For example, the only finite field extension of the real numbers is the complex numbers, while the quaternions are a central simple algebra over the reals, and all CSAs over the reals are Brauer equivalent to the reals or the quaternions. CSAs can be further generalized to Azumaya algebras, where the base field is replaced by a commutative local ring.

Field theory

Glossary of field theory

Tower of fields

Primary extension

Regular extension

Fraleigh, John B. (1976), A First Course In Abstract Algebra (2nd ed.), Reading: , ISBN 0-201-01984-1

Addison-Wesley

Herstein, I. N. (1964), Topics In Algebra, Waltham: , ISBN 978-1114541016

Blaisdell Publishing Company

(2004), Algebra, Graduate Texts in Mathematics, vol. 211 (Corrected fourth printing, revised third ed.), New York: Springer-Verlag, ISBN 978-0-387-95385-4

Lang, Serge

McCoy, Neal H. (1968), Introduction To Modern Algebra, Revised Edition, Boston: , LCCN 68015225

Allyn and Bacon

, Encyclopedia of Mathematics, EMS Press, 2001 [1994]

"Extension of a field"