Abstract Algebra – Nontrivial Ideal of a Noetherian Domain Contains a Finite Product of Nonzero Prime Ideals

abstract-algebracommutative-algebranoetherianring-theory

If $R$ is a Noetherian domain and $ 0 < U < R$ an nontrivial ideal of $R$. How to prove that there exists nonzero prime ideals $p_1,…,p_n \subset R$ such that the product $ p_1 p_2 …p_n \subset U$?

I have no idea on this one. Any help is appreciated.

Best Answer

Consider the collection of nontrivial ideals of $R$ which do not contain a product of nonzero prime ideals. If this collection is nonempty, then it contains a maximal element $I$. I claim that $I$ must be prime (which is absurd).

Suppose otherwise, so that there exist $x,y \notin I$ such that $xy\in I$. The ideals $I+xR$, $I+yR$ are strictly larger than $I$, and they are not trivial: if, say, $I+xR=R$ then $yI+yxR = yR$ but $yI+yxR$ is contained in $I$, contradicting that $y \notin I$. Therefore by the choice of $I$ each of them must contain a product of prime ideals, but then so does $(I + yR)(I+yR) \subseteq I$, which contradicts the choice of $I$.

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