Exercise · ZW-UNIT-OF-A-RING-006 · ★★☆ Intermediate
Which of these elements is a unit of \(\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt2]\)?
Choose one option.
Show answer
- A. \(1+\sqrt2\)
Exercise · ZW-UNIT-OF-A-RING-006 · ★★☆ Intermediate
Choose one option.
We have \((1+\sqrt2)(\sqrt2-1)=2-1=1\), and \(\sqrt2-1\) lies in the ring. The others have norm \(a^2-2b^2\) equal to \(2\), \(7\) and \(-4\), different from \(\pm1\), so they are not units.
A unit of a ring \(R\) with identity \(1\) is an element \(u\) that has a multiplicative inverse \(v\) within \(R\).