Isomorphism between quotient polynomial rings

abstract-algebrapolynomialsring-isomorphismring-theory

Our professor has given us the following isomorphism (fractions denote quotients):
$$\frac{\Bbb{Z}[\sqrt{-3}]}{(2+\sqrt{-3})}\cong\frac{\frac{\Bbb{Z}[X]}{(X^2+3)}}{\frac{(2+X,\,X^2+3)}{(X^2+3)}}.$$
Alas, I am unable to find the reasoning behind it. He told us that he used that $\Bbb{Z}[\sqrt{-3}]$ is isomorphic to $\Bbb{Z}[X]/(X^2+3)$ (as with any other square-free integer). Also I'd like to point out that this is the first step of an isomorphism chain, in which the next one he used the Third isomorphism theorem and simplified the duplicated quotients, for what I believe the current ring is obtained without the use of such theorem.

Thanks in advance 🙂

Best Answer

Let $\varphi: \mathbb{Z}[X] \to \mathbb{Z}\left[\sqrt{-3}\right]$ be the unique ring homomorphism sending $X$ to $\sqrt{-3}$. It is not difficult to show that $\varphi$ is surjective and its kernel is the ideal $(X^2+3)$. By the first isomorphism theorem, $\varphi$ induces a ring isomorphism $$\overline{\varphi}: \frac{\mathbb{Z}[X]}{(X^2+3)} \longrightarrow \mathbb{Z}\left[\sqrt{-3}\right]$$ sending $X+(X^2+3)$ to $\sqrt{-3}$.

Now consider the ideal $$\frac{(2+X,X^2+3)}{(X^2+3)}=\left(2+X+(X^2+3)\right)$$ of $\frac{\mathbb{Z}[X]}{(X^2+3)}$. What does it corresponds to under $\overline{\varphi}$? We compute it: $$\overline{\varphi}\left(\frac{(2+X,X^2+3)}{(X^2+3)}\right) = \overline{\varphi}\left(2+X+(X^2+3)\right)=\left(2+\sqrt{-3}\right).$$ We conclude that $$\frac{\frac{\mathbb{Z}[X]}{(X^2+3)}}{\frac{(2+X,X^2+3)}{(X^2+3)}} \cong \frac{\overline{\varphi}\left(\frac{\mathbb{Z}[X]}{(X^2+3)}\right)}{\overline{\varphi}\left(\frac{(2+X,X^2+3)}{(X^2+3)}\right)} = \frac{\mathbb{Z}\left[\sqrt{-3}\right]}{\left(2+\sqrt{-3}\right)}.$$

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