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Question: Let $F$ be the composite of all the splitting fields of irreducible cubics over $\mathbb{Q}$. Prove that $F$ does not contain all quadratic extensions of $\mathbb{Q}$.

(This is exercise 16 in section 14.9 in the book "Abstract Algebra" by Dummit and Foote, 3rd edition.)


My progress:

Any quadratic extension over $\mathbb{Q}$ is of the form $\mathbb{Q}[\sqrt D]$, where $D$ is a square-free integer. Thus, if $Q[\sqrt{\pm p}]$ was contained in $F$ for every prime $p$, then, by taking compositums, any quadratic extension of $\mathbb{Q}$ would be contained in $F$. Hence, the question is equivalent to finding a prime $p$ and $\epsilon \in \{\pm 1\}$ such that $\sqrt{\epsilon p} \notin F$.

Another relevant fact is that if $D$ is the discriminant of a cubic polynomial $f$, then $\sqrt D$ lies in the splitting field of $f$.

Consider the polynomial $f(X) = X^3 - 3X - 4 \in \mathbb{Q}[X]$. Its discriminant turns out to be $-18^2$, which can be found using the formula for the discriminant of a depressed cubic. Also, it is irreducible over $\mathbb{Q}$ as it has no rational roots, which can be concluded using the rational root theorem. Hence, the splitting field of $f$ over $\mathbb{Q}$ contains $\sqrt{-18^2} = 18i$, and hence, it contains $i$. Thus, $i \in F$.

Hence, the original question is now equivalent to finding a prime $p$ such that $\sqrt{p} \notin F$.

(Consider the polynomial $g(X)=X^3-3$, which is irreducible over $\mathbb{Q}$ by Eisenstein's criterion. It's discriminant is $-3^5$, and hence $9\sqrt{3}i\in F \implies \sqrt 3 \in F$. So, $3$ is one prime that won't work as an example for the previous statement. By similar computation, maybe more primes can be ruled out.)


Please let me know if the above conclusions that I have made are indeed correct.

I could not make any further progress. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


Edit: Turns out the question is wrong, and $F$ does contain every quadratic extension over $\mathbb{Q}$. Thanks to Peter Wu for pointing it out and providing the solution to the corrected question; as pointed out in the comments, the question is corrected in the errata (https://site.uvm.edu/ddummit/files/2021/04/errata_3rd_edition_4_19_2021.pdf), page 14.

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    I'm strongly suspected that it is a wrong problem. The discriminant is $4a^3-27b^2$, for which we consider its class in $\mathbb{Q^{\times}}/\mathbb{Q^{\times2}}$, which can be simplified to $a^3-3(3/2b)^2$. Let $a=(3/2b)=p+3$ we get all the primes. And I guess only a finite of them are reducible. Then we can reach all primes. – Peter Wu Nov 06 '25 at 08:34
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    btw it is already corrected in errata https://site.uvm.edu/ddummit/files/2021/04/errata_3rd_edition_4_19_2021.pdf – Peter Wu Nov 06 '25 at 12:51

1 Answers1

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I strongly suspected that it is a wrong problem.

The discriminant of $x^3-ax+b=0$ is $4a^3-27b^2$, for which we consider its class in $\mathbb{Q^{\times}}/\mathbb{Q^{\times2}}$, which can be simplified to $a^3-3(3/2*b)^2$. Let $a=(3/2*b)=n+3$ for $n\in \mathbb{Z}$. Then $n$ and discriminant is in same class. So $\sqrt{n}\in F$ if $x^3-(n+3)x+\frac{2}{3}(n+3)$ is irreducible.

Then we prove that only for a finite number of $n$, $x^3-(n+3)x+\frac{2}{3}(n+3)$ is reducible. Firstly there must be a rational root and it must be an integer. So $\frac{2}{3}(n+3)$ is integral. Let $\frac{1}{3}(n+3)=m$ the cubic polynomial equation is $x^3-3mx+2m$.

Consider $x^3-3mx+2m=0$, then $m=\frac{x^3}{3x-2}$, which means only a finite choice of $x$ can make $m\in \mathbb{Z}$. So for all but finitely many $n$, $\sqrt{n}\in F$. Then for any number $k$ we can find an $l$ s.t. $\sqrt{l},\,\sqrt{kl}\in F$. Thus $\sqrt{k}\in F$.


On why root of $x^3-(n+3)x+\frac{2}{3}(n+3)$ must be integer, we introduce the evaluation: fix prime $p$, evaluation of an nonzero integer $n$ is defined as the maximal integer $m$ such that $p^m|n$, denoted as $v_p(n)$.

And for $q=a/b\in \mathbb{Q}^{\times}$, $v_p(q)=v_p(a)-v_p(b)$, and $v_p(0)=+\infty$. Then we have if $v_p(a)\not=v_p(b),\,v_p(a+b)=min(v_p(a),v_p(b))$.

Then if $x$ is a rational root and exist a prime $p$ s.t. $v_p(x)<0$, let $v_p(x)=-a$. Thus $v_p(x^3)=-3a,\,v_p(-(n+3)x)\ge -a$ and $v_p(\frac{2}{3}(n+3))\ge -1$, in which $v_p(x^3)=-3a$ is minimal, so the sum has valuation $-3a$ and can not be 0.

Peter Wu
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    I think you need to explain a little bit more why the rational root of $x^3-(n+3)x+\frac{2}{3}(n+3)$ must be an integer. If we write $x=p/q$ with $p,q$ integers, you get $3p^3-3(n+3)pq^2+2(n+3)q^3=0$, so $q$ divides $3p^3$ and by Gauss' lemma $q$ divides $3$. So $3x$ (but maybe not $x$ himself) is an integer. – Ewan Delanoy Nov 06 '25 at 09:24
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    @EwanDelanoy I'll check those but seems there are some workaround like replace n with 9n – Peter Wu Nov 06 '25 at 09:33
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    You can write $x=\frac{y}{3}$ where $y$ is an integer. Then, $y^3 -9 (n +3)y + 18(n + 3)=0$. We see then that $3$ must divide $y^3$, so it divides $y$, so $x=\frac{y}{3}$ is an integer and the rest of your proof works. – Ewan Delanoy Nov 06 '25 at 09:46
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    Alternatively, replace $n$ by $9n$ everywhere (which doesn't change the class mod squares) to get integral polynomials from the start – anankElpis Nov 06 '25 at 09:50