Potential typo in Gathmann’s Algebraic geometry example 1.11: why should the generator of this ideal be non-constant

algebraic-geometrycommutative-algebra

I am reading notes from Gathmann (https://www.mathematik.uni-kl.de/~gathmann/class/alggeom-2021/alggeom-2021-c1.pdf) about algebraic geometry, and in Example $1.11$ he says:

Let $K$ be an algebraically closed field and $J\subset K[x]$ be a non-zero ideal. Since $K[x]$ is a principal ideal domain, we have $J = \langle f\rangle$ for a polynomial $f=(x_1-a_1)^{k_1}\cdots(x_1-a_r)^{k_r}$ for some distinct points $a_1,\cdots, a_r\in \mathbb{A}^1$ and $k_1,\cdots,k_r\in \mathbb{N}_{>0}$.

My question is, I think $f$ could not be written as $(x_1-a_1)^{k_1}\cdots(x_1-a_r)^{k_r}$ if $f$ is constant, but here the author only says that $f\neq 0$. Is that $f$ is also not constant in this example?

Best Answer

I found the example here: Ex 1.11 in https://www.mathematik.uni-kl.de/~gathmann/class/alggeom-2021/alggeom-2021-c1.pdf . Clearly Gathmann is assuming the ideal is proper.

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