Exercise · ZW-FIELD-OF-FRACTIONS-007 · ★★☆ Intermediate

If \(D\) is already a field, what is \(\operatorname{Frac}(D)\)?

Choose one option.

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  • D. A field isomorphic to \(D\)

Explanation

Every \(b\neq0\) in \(D\) already has an inverse, so \(a/b=ab^{-1}\in D\) and nothing new is added: \(\operatorname{Frac}(D)\cong D\). The product \(D\times D\) is not a field.

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Review the concept: Field of fractions

The field of fractions \(\operatorname{Frac}(D)\) of an integral domain \(D\) is the field made of the fractions \(a/b\), with \(a,b\in D\) and \(b\neq0\), where \(a/b=c/d\) when \(ad=bc\).

\[\frac ab=\frac cd\iff ad=bc,\qquad \frac ab+\frac cd=\frac{ad+bc}{bd},\qquad \frac ab\cdot\frac cd=\frac{ac}{bd}\]

More practice problems: field of fractions

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