Prove that Characteristic of a Field is Prime or 0

The characteristic of a field is the smallest positive integer n such that nI = 0 where I denotes the multiplicative identity. If no such n exists, then the characteristic is zero. It is denoted by the symbol char(F). In this article, the characteristic of a field is either 0 or a prime number. Characteristic … Read more

A Field is an Integral Domain: Proof

A field is an integral domain, but the converse is not true. In this post, we will prove this fact. Before we prove, let us recall what are fields and integral domains. Field: A field is a non-trivial commutative ring with unity where each non-zero element is a unit. For example, (ℝ, +, ⋅) is … Read more

What is a Field in Mathematics? Definition, Examples

Field theory in Mathematics is an important topic where we study sets equipped with two operations + and ×. In this article, we will study fields in abstract algebra with its definition, examples, and properties. Definition A non-trivial commutative ring with unity is called a field if its every non-zero elements is a unit. More … Read more

Integral Domain: Definition, Examples, Properties

A commutative non-trivial ring with unity and no zero divisors is called an integral domain. For example, the set Z of integers is an integral domain. In this article, let us study integral domain along with its definition, examples, and a few solved problems. Definition of an Integral Domain Let R be a non-trivial ring … Read more

Idempotent and Nilpotent Element of a Ring

In this article, we will learn about idempotent element and nilpotent element of a ring with examples. Definition of an Idempotent Element Let R be a ring. An element e in R is called an idempotent element if e2 = e. For example, the zero element 0 is an idempotent element as 02 = 0. … Read more