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Good morning everyone! Today, we will talk about finite fields, starting with the field F we constructed with 9 elements. Can anyone remind us what these elements consist of?
They are polynomials of degree 0 and 1 with coefficients from the set {0, 1, 2}!
And we are using ℤ, right? That’s the set of integers modulo 3?
Exactly! Now, can someone explain what closure means in the context of polynomial addition?
Closure means that when we add two polynomials from our set, we get another polynomial that is also in the set.
Great! Yes, adding polynomials within set F keeps us within F. What about multiplication? What challenge did we face with that?
Multiplying polynomials could yield a degree 2 polynomial, which isn't in our set. So we had to adjust the operation.
Correct! That's why we perform multiplication followed by taking modulo the polynomial x² + 1. Let’s summarize: The set F consists of elements structured such that polynomial addition is straightforward while multiplication is modified to ensure closure.
Next, let's discuss the existence of multiplicative inverses in our field. Why is it important for a set to have these inverses?
It's essential because without inverses we can’t satisfy all the field axioms.
If every non-zero element has an inverse, we can do division, like finding 1 divided by any number!
Exactly! For instance, what is the multiplicative inverse of 1 in our field?
It's 1 itself because 1 times 1 is still 1!
And what about the number 2?
The inverse of 2 is also 2 because 2 times 2 equals 4, and 4 modulo 3 is 1, which is the identity element!
Well explained! This process of ensuring each non-zero element has an inverse confirms that our field structure holds. Let's summarize this point: Each non-zero element of the field F has a multiplicative inverse under the defined operations.
Now, let’s talk about the characteristic of our field. What do we mean by the characteristic of a field?
It's the smallest positive integer m such that adding 1 to itself m times gives us 0!
I remember it also relates to the structure of the cyclic group generated by the element 1!
Correct! In our field of 9 elements, what is the characteristic?
It's 3 because if we add the multiplicative identity 1 three times, we reach 3, which modulo 3 is 0.
Right! So how about when we have fields that are not finite? What about their characteristics?
For infinite fields, the characteristic isn’t well-defined. We only concern ourselves with finite fields typically.
That’s correct! The characteristic of finite fields will always be a prime number, ensuring no contradictions in their structure. To summarize, we've defined the characteristic of the field and observed the specific example from our finite field of 9 elements.
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The section discusses how to construct a finite field using 9 polynomials of degree 0 and 1 with coefficients from the set of integers modulo 3. It explains the necessary modifications to operations to ensure closure, the existence of multiplicative inverses, and introduces the concept of the field's characteristic.
In this section, we explore the construction of a finite field, denoted as F, consisting of 9 elements represented by polynomials of degree 0 and 1 with coefficients from the set of integers modulo 3, ℤ = {0, 1, 2}. The operations of addition and multiplication of these polynomials are defined such that they observe closure properties when modified appropriately.
To construct this finite field effectively, we define polynomial addition in a straightforward manner. However, upon performing polynomial multiplication, we noticed that closure is violated; for example, multiplying (x + 2) and (2x + 1) yields a polynomial of degree 2, which does not belong to our set F. Therefore, we modify the multiplication operation by taking the result modulo an irreducible polynomial, specifically x² + 1, to maintain closure.
We subsequently confirm that every non-zero element in the field has a multiplicative inverse, making sure that the set adheres to the field axioms. An interesting property derived is that the non-zero elements of F can be generated using the powers of a specific element, 2x + 1. This establishes that the structure formed is cyclic and demonstrates the concept of the field's characteristic, which is defined as the smallest positive integer m such that adding the multiplicative identity element 1 to itself m times yields the additive identity 0.
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Let us do some warmup and see how exactly we construct finite fields. So we will see a construction of a finite field with 9 elements. I denote set F which is a collection of these 9 polynomials.
In this section, we begin by focusing on how to construct a finite field consisting of 9 elements. This field is represented as set F, which contains a collection of polynomials. Here, 'finite' implies that the field has a limited number of elements, specifically 9 in this case.
Think of a finite field like a small storage box that can only hold a certain number of items – in this case, 9 polynomials. Just as you can only fit a limited number of toys in a box, a finite field only contains a limited number of elements.
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These are basically polynomials of degree 0 and degree 1 where the coefficients are from ℤ and remember ℤ is the set { 0, 1, 2 }.
The polynomials in this finite field are of two specific degrees: degree 0 (which is a constant) and degree 1 (which is linear). The coefficients of these polynomials are taken from the set of integers ℤ, specifically the elements {0, 1, 2}. This choice of coefficients restricts the polynomials to just 3 possible values, leading to the construction of our finite field.
Imagine you are making different shapes using only 3 colors: red, blue, and green. Each combination of colors that you use to paint shapes can be thought of as a polynomial, limited by the fact you can only use these three colors.
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If I consider the operation of polynomial addition over the set ℤ [x], then it satisfies the closure property.
The closure property means that when you perform an operation (like addition) on elements in a set (like our polynomials), the result is still an element of that same set. In this case, if you pick any two polynomials from the set and add them, the result will also be a polynomial that belongs to the same set F.
Imagine you have a bag containing apples. If you take two apples from the bag and combine them, you still have apples in the bag. Similarly, adding two polynomials yields another polynomial in set F, maintaining the overall integrity of the set.
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It turns out that with respect to the operation of polynomial multiplication, the closure property is not satisfied.
While addition works well, multiplication poses a challenge. When multiplying two polynomials, the result may produce a polynomial that is of a higher degree than allowed in set F. For example, multiplying two degree 1 polynomials can yield a degree 2 polynomial that doesn't fit into the defined set of degree 0 and 1 polynomials.
Imagine a scenario where you are trying to stack building blocks. If you combine too many blocks (polynomial degrees), you might end up with a tower that is too tall and exceeds the height limit you initially set (degree restriction).
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I am going to define a modified addition and multiplication operation, where I will be doing all the addition and multiplication of the polynomial as I was doing earlier, but my resultant answer will be computed modulo this polynomial (x2 + 1).
To solve the problem of closure in multiplication, we introduce a modified operation that involves taking results modulo a specific polynomial, in this case, (x² + 1). This ensures that any result obtained remains within the limits of our defined set F by always reducing the outcome using this polynomial.
Think of this operation as setting rules in a game. If your score exceeds a certain limit, you reset to a base score. Similarly, with the modulo operation, we reset the results of polynomial operations to maintain them within our finite field.
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Now, I would be interested to check whether this collection F indeed satisfies the axioms of field as well, with respect to the addition and multiplication operation modulo this irreducible polynomial.
The next step is to verify that our modified operations satisfy all the field axioms, such as associativity, commutativity, identity elements, and inverses for addition and multiplication. This means checking that every element in our field has an inverse (another element that will sum or multiply to yield the identity element, 0 or 1 respectively).
Imagine a board game where every player must have a pair of matching tokens to play (the inverses). If everyone has matching tokens, the game has structure and fairness, similar to how fields must operate under specific rules.
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It turns out that indeed each non-zero element of this set F has a multiplicative inverse.
In our finite field F, every non-zero polynomial has a corresponding polynomial that can multiply with it to yield the multiplicative identity element, which is 1 in this case. For instance, we find that the inverse of polynomial 2 is also polynomial 2, as when multiplied yield 1 under the modulo operation.
Consider a buddy system where everyone pairs up. If everyone can find their pair (inverse), the system works effectively. Just like in our finite field, finding pairs of polynomials ensures the field's structure remains intact.
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If you take the various powers of 2x + 1 and compute the powers as per the modified multiplication operation, then you get basically all the non-zero elements of this collection F.
In finite fields, a single element can generate all other non-zero elements through its powers. In this case, the element 2x + 1 serves as a generator, allowing us to obtain every non-zero polynomial when raised to successive powers. This property highlights the cyclic nature of the group formed by the field's non-zero elements.
Think of a recipe that uses a base ingredient to create various dishes. Just as that ingredient can be combined in different ways to yield a multitude of meals, the polynomial 2x + 1 can combine in various ways to generate all other polynomials in our field.
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Key Concepts
Finite Fields: A mathematical structure where addition and multiplication operations are well-defined and fulfill field axioms.
Characteristic of a Field: Defined as the smallest positive integer such that 'm times 1' equals 0.
Irreducible Polynomial: Essential for modifying operations to keep closure properties in finite fields.
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If F consists of the polynomials {0, 1, 2, x, x+1, x+2, 2x, 2x+1, 2x+2}, then performing operations modulo x² + 1.
In F, the operation of (x+2)(2x+1) results in a polynomial of degree 2, which we then reduce using modulo (x² + 1).
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In fields finite, numbers so bright, 9 together learning at night.
Once upon a time, there were 9 clever polynomials living in a field. They learned how to add and multiply but found out they needed a special rule to stay together under a polynomial called x² + 1.
Remember C for Closure, I for Inverse, and P for Prime when thinking about fields.
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Review the Definitions for terms.
Term: Finite Field
Definition:
A field with a finite number of elements.
Term: Irreducible Polynomial
Definition:
A polynomial that cannot be factored into polynomials of lower degrees over a given field.
Term: Characteristic
Definition:
The smallest positive integer m such that adding the multiplicative identity 1 to itself m times yields the additive identity 0.
Term: Cyclic Group
Definition:
A group that can be generated by a single element.
Term: Closure Property
Definition:
The property that ensures operations on elements result in other elements within the same set.