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TheoremProved

Transitivity of the Galois group on roots

Statement

If f∈K[x]f\in K[x] is irreducible over KK (characteristic 00) and LL is its splitting field over KK, then Gal(L/K)\mathrm{Gal}(L/K), acting on the set RR of roots of ff in LL by permutation, acts transitively: for any r1,r2∈Rr_1,r_2\in R there is σ∈Gal(L/K)\sigma\in\mathrm{Gal}(L/K) with σ(r1)=r2\sigma(r_1)=r_2.

Why is it true?

This is why we can speak of "the Galois group of a polynomial" and not just "of a field extension": it explains why every root of an irreducible polynomial is algebraically indistinguishable from every other — there is always a symmetry of LL carrying one root to the other.

Proof sketch

Step 1: Since ff is irreducible over KK and r1,r2∈R⊂Lr_1,r_2\in R\subset L are both roots, there is a KK-isomorphism φ:K(r1)→K(r2)\varphi:K(r_1)\to K(r_2) with φ(r1)=r2\varphi(r_1)=r_2, φ∣K=idK\varphi|_K=\mathrm{id}_K — the basic property of minimal polynomials: K(r1)≅K[x]/(f)≅K(r2)K(r_1)\cong K[x]/(f)\cong K(r_2) via the isomorphism sending r1↦x↦r2r_1\mapsto x\mapsto r_2.

Step 2: LL is a splitting field of ff over both K(r1)K(r_1) and K(r2)K(r_2) (since LL is a splitting field over KK, and K⊆K(ri)⊆LK\subseteq K(r_i)\subseteq L). By the isomorphism extension theorem for splitting fields, φ\varphi extends to a field isomorphism σ:L→L\sigma:L\to L.

Step 3: Since σ∣K=φ∣K=idK\sigma|_K=\varphi|_K=\mathrm{id}_K, we have σ∈Gal(L/K)\sigma\in\mathrm{Gal}(L/K), and σ(r1)=φ(r1)=r2\sigma(r_1)=\varphi(r_1)=r_2. So for any two roots r1,r2r_1,r_2 there is always some σ\sigma sending one to the other — precisely the definition of transitivity.

Topics that use this theorem

Step-by-step proofs

No step-by-step proof yet for this theorem.

References

  1. Ian Stewart (2015). Galois Theory (4th ed.) · DOI:10.1201/b18187
  2. David S. Dummit, Richard M. Foote (2004). Abstract Algebra (3rd ed.)