[Math] Size of Galois Group based on roots and minimal polynomial

galois-theory

If we know the minimal polynomial of a field extension, how can we determine the number of elements in the Galois Group?

For example, take $\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{2},\sqrt{3})$, with minimal polynomial $ (x^{2} – 2)(x^{2} – 3)$ and roots $ \pm \sqrt2, \pm \sqrt3$. Of the $4!$ bijections possible between the roots, is there a method for determining the number that are automorphisms?

Best Answer

As explained in my comment, to conclude that all $4$ admissible permutations of the roots give rise to automorphisms, it suffices to show that the degree of the splitting field $K$ of $(x^2-2)(x^2-3)$ over $\mathbb{Q}$ has degree $4$. Clearly $K=\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{2},\sqrt{3})$. You have a tower $\mathbb{Q}\subseteq\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{2})\subseteq K$. The first extension is degree $2$ because $X^2-2$ is irreducible by Eisenstein. Note that $K$ is obtained from $L:=\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{2})$ by adjoining a root of $X^2-3$. Thus the degree of $L$ over $K$ is at most $2$. If it is equal to $1$, then $X^2-3$ splits over $L$. Thus you can write $\sqrt{3}=a+b\sqrt{2}$ for rational numbers $a$ and $b$. Squaring gives $3=a^2+2ab\sqrt{2}+2b^2$. Since $\{1,\sqrt{2}\}$ is a $\mathbb{Q}$-basis for $L$, this forces $a^2+2b^2=3$ and $2ab=0$, so $a=0$ or $b=0$. If $a=0$, then $2b^2=3$ so $3/2$ is a rational square, which is false. Similarly, $b=0$ leads to $a^2=3$ with $a$ rational, another contradiction. Thus $X^2-3$ can't split in $L$, so it's irreducible over $L$, and $K/L$ has degree $2$, giving $[K:\mathbb{Q}]=2\cdot 2=4$.

If for some reason you don't want to use the fact that $3/2$ is not a rational square, you could use the (non-trivial) fact that $a$ and $b$ must actually be integers, and then $a^2+2b^2=3$ forces $a$ and $b$ to each be $\pm 1$, while $2ab=0$ forces one of them to be zero, again a contradiction.

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