Is $\mathcal{O}_{\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{5})}$ is a UFD

abstract-algebraring-theoryunique-factorization-domains

Is it true that the quadratic ring of integers $O :=\mathcal{O}_{\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{5})} =\mathbb{Z}(\frac{\sqrt{5}+1}{2})$ is a UFD? How to show it?

My guess: I know that if a quadratic ring of integers is a PID, then it is a UFD.
If $O$ has a Dedekine-Hasse norm, then it is a PID (Dummit & Foote p.281), then a UFD.
Possibly one may imitate Dummit & Foote p.282 where they show that $\mathcal{O}_{\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{-19})}$ is a PID, right?
Also, this table indicates $O$ has class number 1, I guess it means it is a UFD.

Possibly related: Quadratic rings of integers which are UFD,
Real quadratic fields which are UFD
(P.s. On algebra, I have only exposure to Dummit & Foote.)

Best Answer

The ring $\Bbb Z[\sqrt{5}]$ is not a UFD, but the ring of integers $\Bbb Z[\frac{1+\sqrt{5}}{2}]$ of the number field $\Bbb Q(\sqrt{5})$ is a Dedekind ring, which is a PID and hence is factorial.

More references (in addition to your links, with answers concerning this topic):

For which $d$ is $\mathbb Z[\sqrt d]$ a principal ideal domain?

Edit: The proof that $K=\Bbb Q(\sqrt{5})$ has class number $1$ is very easy, because the Minkowski bound satisfies $B_K<2$, so that the class number is $1$. More precisely, $$ B_K=\frac{\sqrt{5}}{2}=1.11803398874989\cdots $$ The formula in general is $$ B_K=\frac{n!}{n^n}\left(\frac{4}{\pi} \right)^s\sqrt{|d_K|} $$ where $n$ is the degree of the extension (here $n=2$), $d_K$ the discriminant.

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