MASTERS EXAMINATION IN MATHEMATICS

PURE MATHEMATICS OPTION FALL 2010

Full points can be obtained for correct answers to 8 questions. Each numbered question
(which may have several parts) is worth 20 points. All answers will be graded, but the score
for the examination will be the sum of the scores of your best 8 solutions.
Use separate answer sheets for each question. DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME ON
YOUR ANSWER SHEETS. When you have nished, insert all your answer sheets into
the envelope provided, then seal and print your name on it.
Any student whose answers need clarication may be required to submit to an oral
examination.
1
PURE MATHEMATICS OPTION FALL 2010
Algebra
A1. Let G = Z/2 Z/6 Z/12. Show that G can not be generated by two elements.
A2. Let G be a nite group of order n. Let H be a proper subgroup of G if index m. If n
does not divide m!, show that G is not a simple group.
A3. Let p be a prime number. Show the polynomial

p
(x) = x
p1
+ x
p2
+ + x + 1
is irreducible in Q[x].
Complex Analysis
C1. Show that

|z|=3
e
z
2
z
2
+ 2|z|
dz 2e
9
.
C2. Find all possible values of (

3 + i)
i
and log(5 + 5i). In both cases indicate which of
the values is the principal value.
C3. Let D be the wedge in the upper right quadrant of the complex plane between the x
axis and the line y = tan()x, where 0 < <

2
. Explicitly nd a conformal map that
takes D bijectively to the interior of an open disk containing the origin.
2
PURE MATHEMATICS OPTION FALL 2010
Logic
L1. Let L be a rst order language, M an L-structure and N M a substructure.
(a) What does it mean for N to be an elementary substructure of M?
Suppose L = {R}, where R is a binary relation symbol and let M = Z, R
M
and
N = 2Z, R
N
be the L-structures dened by
R
M
= {(n, m) Z Z

n < m},
R
N
= {(n, m) 2Z 2Z

n < m},
where 2Z is the set of even integers.
(b) Is N a substructure of M?
(c) Is N an elementary substructure of M?
L2. Let L be a rst order language.
(a) Suppose (x, y) is an L-formula whose free variables are among x, y. Write an
L-sentence that is true in an L-structure M if and only if there is a unique pair (a, b)
of elements of M such that
M |= (a, b).
For every formula (x, y) in L, we denote by !x (x, y) the formula
x

(x, y) z ((z, y) x = z)

,
where z is some variable not among x, y.
(b) Which of the following formulas
, !x !y (x, y), !y !x (x, y)
are equivalent?
L3. Test the validity of the following argument using the tableau-method proof system.
Arguments not formalized in the tableau-method, e.g., using truth tables, will receive
a maximum of 10 points.
A (B C)
(C A) D
(B D) A
D
3
PURE MATHEMATICS OPTION FALL 2010
Number Theory
N1. Find all x that satisfy the following
3x 2 mod 13,
4x 1 mod 7,
2x 3 mod 11
Express your answer in the form x a mod b.
N2. (a) State the law of quadratic reciprocity for a pair of odd primes.
(b) Use the law of quadratic reciprocity to compute

85
101

.
N3. Show that X
2
1 mod p
n
has exactly two solutions mod p
n
for each odd prime p.
[Suggestion: First consider the case n = 1. Then assume X satises X
2
1 mod p
n1
,
and show that there is a unique Y mod p
n
such that Y X mod p
n1
and Y
2
1
mod p
n
. ]
Real Analysis
R1. (a) Dene limsup
n
a
n
for a sequence {a
n
}

n=1
of real numbers.
(b) Let {a
n
}

n=1
, {b
n
}

n=1
be two sequences bounded from above. Prove that
limsup
n
(a
n
+ b
n
) limsup
n
(a
n
) + limsup
n
(b
n
).
(c) Give an example with strict inequality in (b).
R2. For which values of x does the series

n=1
(3x + 1)
n
nlog n
converge? absolutely converge?
R3. Let f be a non-negative continuous function on [0, 1] with with

1
0
f(x) dx = 0. Prove
that f(x) = 0 for all x [a, b].
4
PURE MATHEMATICS OPTION FALL 2010
Topology
T1. Let X be a topological space, and let A X be a connected subset of X. Let B = cl(A)
denote the closure of A in X. Show that B is connected.
T2. Show that a topological space X is Hausdor if and only if the diagonal
(X) = {(x, x) | x X} X X
is closed for the product topology.
T3. Suppose that f : S
1
X is an injective continuous map from the circle to a Hausdor
space X. Show that the subspace f(S
1
) is homeomorphic to S
1
.
5
MASTERS EXAMINATION IN MATHEMATICS
PURE MATHEMATICS OPTION FALL 2010
SOLUTIONS
Algebra
A1. Let G = Z/2 Z/6 Z/12. Show that G can not be generated by two elements.
Solution: G is a direct sum of cyclic groups each of even order. There is a ho-
momorphism from each of these summands onto Z/2. Therefore G maps onto H =
Z/2 Z/2 Z/2. If G where generated by two elements, then H would be also. If
a, b H, the subgroup generated by a, b consist of elements of the form xa +yb where
x, y 0, 1. There are at most four such elements while H has order 8. Therefore G
cannot be generated by two elements.
A2. Let G be a nite group of order n. Let H be a proper subgroup of G if index m. If n
does not divide m!, show that G is not a simple group.
Solution: G acts by left multiplication on the set S of cosets gH of H in G, that is,
there is a homomorphism : G Perm(S) sending g
1
to the permutation sending
gH to g
1
gH. ker is normal in G. Since acts nontrivially, ker ,= G, and, since n
does not divide m!, ker ,= 0. Therefore G is not simple.
A3. Let p be a prime number. Show the polynomial

p
(x) = x
p1
+ x
p2
+ + x + 1
is irreducible in Q[x].
Solution: Note that
p
(x) =
x
p
1
x 1
. Let
f(u) =
p
(u + 1) =
(u + 1)
p
1
u
.
Then f(u) satises the Eisensteins Criterion, hence f(u) is irreducible in Z[u] and
therefore
p
(x) is irreducible in Z[x]. We conclude that
p
(x) is irreducible in Q[x] by
Gausss Lemma.
1
Complex Analysis
C1. Show that
_
|z|=3
e
z
2
z
2
+ 2[z[
dz 2e
9
.
Solution: The integral is at most the length of the contour times the maximum
magnitude of the integrand on the contour. The length of the contour is 6, and the
integrand is at most
e
|Re(z
2
)|
|z|
2
2|z|

e
9
3
. Hence the integral is at most 2e
9
.
C2. Find all possible values of (

3 + i)
i
and log(5 + 5i). In both cases indicate which of
the values is the principal value.
Solution:

3 + i = 2e
i
6
= e
ln 2+
i
6
= e
ln 2+i

6
+2ki
for any integral k. Hence (

3+i)
i
=
e
i ln 2

6
2k
for any integral k, or e

6
2k
[cos(ln 2) + i sin(ln 2)]. The case k = 0 gives
the principal value. For the second part, (5+5i) is (5

2)e
i
4
, so the possible logarithms
are ln(5

2) + i(

4
+ 2k) for integers k, with k = 0 giving the principal value of the
logarithm.
C3. Let D be the wedge in the upper right quadrant of the complex plane between the x
axis and the line y = tan()x, where 0 < <

2
. Explicitly nd a conformal map that
takes D bijectively to the interior of an open disk containing the origin.
Solution: z z
/
takes D to the upper half plane. The conformal map (zi)/(z+i)
takes the upper half plane to the unit disc. Hence (z
/
i)/(z
/
+ i) works.
Logic
L1. Let L be a rst order language, / an L-structure and A / a substructure.
(a) What does it mean for A to be an elementary substructure of /?
Suppose L = R, where R is a binary relation symbol and let / = Z, R
M
and
A = 2Z, R
N
be the L-structures dened by
R
M
= (n, m) Z Z

n < m,
R
N
= (n, m) 2Z 2Z

n < m,
where 2Z is the set of even integers.
(b) Is A a substructure of /?
(c) Is A an elementary substructure of /?
2
Solution: (a) A is an elementary substructure of / if and only if for all formulas
(x) and parameters a in A, we have
A [= (a) /[= (a).
(b) A is a substructure of / since the domain [A[ of A is a subset of the domain
[/[ of / and moreover
R
N
= [A[
2
R
M
.
(c) A is not an elementary substructure of /, since, for example,
/[= x (R0x & Rx2),
while
A [= x (R0x & Rx2).
L2. Let L be a rst order language.
(a) Suppose (x, y) is an L-formula whose free variables are among x, y. Write an
L-sentence that is true in an L-structure /if and only if there is a unique pair (a, b)
of elements of / such that
/[= (a, b).
For every formula (x, y) in L, we denote by !x (x, y) the formula
x
_
(x, y) z ((z, y) x = z)
_
,
where z is some variable not among x, y.
(b) Which of the following formulas
, !x !y (x, y), !y !x (x, y)
are equivalent?
Solution: (a) Let be the following formula:
x y
_
(x, y) & z v ((z, v) (x = z & y = v)
_
.
(b) None of the three formulas are equivalent. To see this, we can let (x, y) be the
formula Rxy, where R is a binary relation symbol. We dene two R-structures /
and A with common domain 1, 2, 3 as follows
R
M
=
_
(1, 1), (1, 2), (1, 3), (2, 1)
_
R
N
=
_
(1, 1), (2, 1), (3, 1), (1, 2)
_
Then
/[= , /[= !x !y (x, y), /[= !y !x (x, y),
while
A [= , A [= !x !y (x, y), A [= !y !x (x, y),
showing that the formulas are inequivalent.
3
L3. Test the validity of the following argument using the tableau-method proof system.
Arguments not formalized in the tableau-method, e.g., using truth tables, will receive
a maximum of 10 points.
A (B C)
(C A) D
(B D) A
D
Solution:
A (B C)
(C A) D
(B D) A
D

C A (C A)
D D

_
C
A
D
D

(B D) A

B D

A B C

B C
Since the tableau does not close after all formulas have been checked, the argument is
invalid. In this case, we can see that A, B, C, D will render all premises true, but
the conclusion false.
Number Theory
N1. Find all x that satisfy the following
3x 2 mod 13,
4x 1 mod 7,
2x 3 mod 11
Express your answer in the form x a mod b.
4
Solution: We start by simplifying the equations. One easily checks that 3
1
9
mod 13, 4
1
2 mod 7, 2
1
6 mod 11. We rewrite the equations as
x 5 mod 13, (1)
x 2 mod 7, (2)
x 7 mod 11. (3)
We rst consider the two top equations
x 5 mod 13,
x 2 mod 7.
An x that satises the rst equation is of the form x = 5 + 13k for an integer k.
We insert this in the second equation to obtain 5 + 13k 2 mod 7. This equation
simplies to 6k 4 mod 7, or equivalently 3k 2 mod 7. Since 3
1
5 mod 7,
we get k 3 mod 7. This means that k = 3 + 7l for an integer l. Consequently
x = 5 + 13k = 5 + 13(3 + 7l) = 44 + 13 7l. We insert this value x = 44 + 13 7l in
equation (3) to obtain
44 + 13 7l 7 mod 11.
This immediately give 13 7l 7 mod 11, and then 2 7l 7 mod 11 and then
2l 1 mod 11 and nally l 6 mod 11. Write l = 6 + 11m for an integer m. We
have
x = 44 + 13 7(6 + 11m) = 590 + 1001m.
The desired solution is x 590 mod 1001.
N2. (a) State the law of quadratic reciprocity for a pair of odd primes.
(b) Use the law of quadratic reciprocity to compute
_
85
101
_
.
Solution: (a) If p and q are distinct odd primes, the
_
p
q
__
q
p
_
= (1)
1
2
(p1)
1
2
(q1)
.
(b)
_
85
101
_
=
_
5
101
__
17
101
_
=
_
101
5
__
101
17
_
=
_
1
5
__
16
17
_
= 1
as
_
16
17
_
= 1.
5
N3. Show that X
2
1 mod p
n
has exactly two solutions mod p
n
for each odd prime p.
[Suggestion: First consider the case n = 1. Then assume X satises X
2
1 mod p
n1
,
and show that there is a unique Y mod p
n
such that Y X mod p
n1
and Y
2
1
mod p
n
. ]
Solution: Let f(X) = X
2
1. If a Z/p and f(a) = 0 mod p, then (a1)(a+1) = 0
mod p. Since Z/p has no zero divisors, a = 1 or a = 1.
Assume inductively that if a Z/p
n
and f(a) = 0, then a = 1 mod p
n
. Let
b Z/p
n+1
and f(b) = 0 mod p
n+1
. Then f(b) 0 mod p
n
and hence b 1
mod p
n
. Therefore b = a + tp
n
where a = 1.
Now f(b) = (a+tp
n
)
2
1 2atp
n
mod p
n+1
. Sincef(b) 0 mod p
n+1
, t 0 mod p.
Thus b 1 mod p
n+1
.
Real Analysis
R1. (a) Dene limsup
n
a
n
for a sequence a
n

n=1
of real numbers.
(b) Let a
n

n=1
, b
n

n=1
be two sequences bounded from above. Prove that
limsup
n
(a
n
+ b
n
) limsup
n
(a
n
) + limsup
n
(b
n
).
(c) Give an example with strict inequality in (b).
Solution: (a) If a
n
is bounded then the sequence A
n
= supa
n
, a
n+1
, . . . is non-
increasing and bounded; therefore converges. Its limit is one of the equivalent deni-
tions of limsup a
n
.
(b) For each n, let
A
n
= supa
i
[ i n, B
n
= supb
i
[ i n, C
n
= supa
i
+ b
i
[ i n.
For i n one has a
i
A
n
, b
i
B
n
giving a
i
+ b
i
A
n
+ B
n
. Hence C
n
A
n
+ B
n
.
Passing to the limit in n one obtains the claim.
(c) For example: 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 1, . . . and 1, 0, 1, 0, 1, . . . .
R2. For which values of x does the series

n=1
(3x + 1)
n
nlog n
converge? absolutely converge?
6
Solution: There are four cases: (1) x < 2/3 or x > 0, (2) 2/3 < x < 0, (3)
x = 2/3, (4) x = 0.
In case (1) the ratio test for the absolute values a
n
= [3x + 1[
n
/nlog n gives
lim
n
a
n+1
a
n
= [3x + 1[ lim
n
(n + 1) log(n + 1)
n log n
= [3x + 1[ > 1.
So a
n
,0 and the series diverges.
In case (2) the same ratio test gives absolute convergence.
In case (3) the series is

(1)
n
/nlog n; it converges conditionally by Leibnitz rule,
because 1/nlog n 0 monotonically.
In case (4) the series is

1/nlog n = +. This can be deduced from Cauchy criterion

comparing the series to

2
k
a
2
k = const

1
k
, or by the integral criterion with change
of variables u = e
x
.
So the series converges for x [2/3, 0) with conditional convergence at x = 0.
R3. Let f be a non-negative continuous function on [0, 1] with with
_
1
0
f(x) dx = 0. Prove
that f(x) = 0 for all x [0, 1].
Solution: Assume f(c) > 0 for some c [0, 1]. By continuity of f there is an interval
J of length > 0 with f(x) > f(c)/2 for x J. Then any partition of [0, 1] has a
renement T with the lower sum L(f, T) f(c)/2 Thus
_
1
0
f(x) dx f(c)/2 > 0.
This gives a contradiction.
Topology
T1. Let X be a topological space, and let A X be a connected subset of X. Let B = cl(A)
denote the closure of A in X. Show that B is connected.
Solution: Given open sets U V = with B U V we must show that either
B U or B V . It is given that A is connected, and A U V , so either A U or
A V . Assume A U.
Then U V = implies that A (X V ). As (X V ) is closed, we also have
B = cl(A) (X V ). Thus, B V = . Since B U V we conclude that B U.
The case where A V is similar.
T2. Show that a topological space X is Hausdor if and only if the diagonal
(X) = (x, x) [ x X X X
is closed for the product topology.
7
Solution: Assume that X is Hausdor. Let x, y X with (x, y) ,= (X). Then x ,= y,
so by the Hausdor assumption, there exists open sets U, V X with x U, y V
and U V = . If (U V ) (X) ,= then there exists some point (z, z) U V , so
that z U V , a contradiction. Thus, U V (X(X)) is an open neighborhood
in the product topology for the point (x, y). This shows that the complement of (X)
is an open set, hence (X) is closed for the product topology.
Conversely, suppose that (X) is closed, and x, y X satisfy x ,= y. Then (x, y)
(X (X)) which is open for the product topology. Thus, there exists open sets
U, V X with (x, y) U V (X(X)). Then x U and y V with U V = .
This shows that X is Hausdor.
T3. Suppose that f : S
1
X is an injective continuous map from the circle to a Hausdor
space X. Show that the subspace f(S
1
) is homeomorphic to S
1
.
Solution: The circle is compact, since it is a closed and bounded subspace of R
2
. The
subspace f(S
1
) is Hausdor, since it is a subspace of a Hausdor space.
Thus f is a continuous bijection from the compact space S
1
to the Hausdor space
f(S
1
). Any continuous bijection g from a compact space to a Hausdor space is a
homeomorphism. To show this it suces to show that any such bijection g is a closed
map. (If it is closed then it is also open since, being a bijection, it maps complements
of closed sets to complements of closed sets.) But a closed subspace of a compact
space is compact and a continuous image of a compact space is compact. Thus g maps
closed sets to compact sets. Since compact subspaces of a Hausdor space are closed,
it follows that g maps closed sets to closed sets.
8