Element which is prime but not irreducible.











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I wanted to find an element which is irreducible but not prime. I found on wiki the example that says that $x^2$ is prime but not irreducible in $mathbb{Q}[x]/(x^2+x)$.
My reasoning why this is not a irreducible element is as following.



Suppose $x^2$ is irreducible. In particular, this means it isn't a unit.
But $x^2=xx=(-x^2) (-x^2)=x^2x^2$ And so this would be a product of two non-units. Does this makes sense?



To show that it is not a prime I have to show that $x^2 vert ab implies x^2 vert a$ or $x^2 vert b$ but I don't know how to show this.










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  • 1




    "Suppose $x^2$ is irreducible. In particular, this means it isn't a prime." You meant to say it isn't a unit, right?
    – saulspatz
    Nov 17 at 18:18












  • Beware $ $ There is no standard of "irreducible" in rings with zero-divisors. Various incompatible definitions are in use. e.g. see the paper linked here, where (Corollary 2.7) idempotents are irreducible $iff$ prime.
    – Bill Dubuque
    Nov 17 at 22:22










  • @BillDubuque okay, I see your point. So is it true that for all $a$, $b$ such that $x^2=ab$ we have either $x^2 vert a$ and $a vert x^2$ or $x^2 vert b$ and $b vert x^2$? Also, for the definition of prime there is no problem no? $ab in (p) iff p vert ab$
    – roi_saumon
    Nov 17 at 23:37

















up vote
1
down vote

favorite












I wanted to find an element which is irreducible but not prime. I found on wiki the example that says that $x^2$ is prime but not irreducible in $mathbb{Q}[x]/(x^2+x)$.
My reasoning why this is not a irreducible element is as following.



Suppose $x^2$ is irreducible. In particular, this means it isn't a unit.
But $x^2=xx=(-x^2) (-x^2)=x^2x^2$ And so this would be a product of two non-units. Does this makes sense?



To show that it is not a prime I have to show that $x^2 vert ab implies x^2 vert a$ or $x^2 vert b$ but I don't know how to show this.










share|cite|improve this question




















  • 1




    "Suppose $x^2$ is irreducible. In particular, this means it isn't a prime." You meant to say it isn't a unit, right?
    – saulspatz
    Nov 17 at 18:18












  • Beware $ $ There is no standard of "irreducible" in rings with zero-divisors. Various incompatible definitions are in use. e.g. see the paper linked here, where (Corollary 2.7) idempotents are irreducible $iff$ prime.
    – Bill Dubuque
    Nov 17 at 22:22










  • @BillDubuque okay, I see your point. So is it true that for all $a$, $b$ such that $x^2=ab$ we have either $x^2 vert a$ and $a vert x^2$ or $x^2 vert b$ and $b vert x^2$? Also, for the definition of prime there is no problem no? $ab in (p) iff p vert ab$
    – roi_saumon
    Nov 17 at 23:37















up vote
1
down vote

favorite









up vote
1
down vote

favorite











I wanted to find an element which is irreducible but not prime. I found on wiki the example that says that $x^2$ is prime but not irreducible in $mathbb{Q}[x]/(x^2+x)$.
My reasoning why this is not a irreducible element is as following.



Suppose $x^2$ is irreducible. In particular, this means it isn't a unit.
But $x^2=xx=(-x^2) (-x^2)=x^2x^2$ And so this would be a product of two non-units. Does this makes sense?



To show that it is not a prime I have to show that $x^2 vert ab implies x^2 vert a$ or $x^2 vert b$ but I don't know how to show this.










share|cite|improve this question















I wanted to find an element which is irreducible but not prime. I found on wiki the example that says that $x^2$ is prime but not irreducible in $mathbb{Q}[x]/(x^2+x)$.
My reasoning why this is not a irreducible element is as following.



Suppose $x^2$ is irreducible. In particular, this means it isn't a unit.
But $x^2=xx=(-x^2) (-x^2)=x^2x^2$ And so this would be a product of two non-units. Does this makes sense?



To show that it is not a prime I have to show that $x^2 vert ab implies x^2 vert a$ or $x^2 vert b$ but I don't know how to show this.







abstract-algebra






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share|cite|improve this question













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edited Nov 17 at 18:25

























asked Nov 17 at 18:09









roi_saumon

32117




32117








  • 1




    "Suppose $x^2$ is irreducible. In particular, this means it isn't a prime." You meant to say it isn't a unit, right?
    – saulspatz
    Nov 17 at 18:18












  • Beware $ $ There is no standard of "irreducible" in rings with zero-divisors. Various incompatible definitions are in use. e.g. see the paper linked here, where (Corollary 2.7) idempotents are irreducible $iff$ prime.
    – Bill Dubuque
    Nov 17 at 22:22










  • @BillDubuque okay, I see your point. So is it true that for all $a$, $b$ such that $x^2=ab$ we have either $x^2 vert a$ and $a vert x^2$ or $x^2 vert b$ and $b vert x^2$? Also, for the definition of prime there is no problem no? $ab in (p) iff p vert ab$
    – roi_saumon
    Nov 17 at 23:37
















  • 1




    "Suppose $x^2$ is irreducible. In particular, this means it isn't a prime." You meant to say it isn't a unit, right?
    – saulspatz
    Nov 17 at 18:18












  • Beware $ $ There is no standard of "irreducible" in rings with zero-divisors. Various incompatible definitions are in use. e.g. see the paper linked here, where (Corollary 2.7) idempotents are irreducible $iff$ prime.
    – Bill Dubuque
    Nov 17 at 22:22










  • @BillDubuque okay, I see your point. So is it true that for all $a$, $b$ such that $x^2=ab$ we have either $x^2 vert a$ and $a vert x^2$ or $x^2 vert b$ and $b vert x^2$? Also, for the definition of prime there is no problem no? $ab in (p) iff p vert ab$
    – roi_saumon
    Nov 17 at 23:37










1




1




"Suppose $x^2$ is irreducible. In particular, this means it isn't a prime." You meant to say it isn't a unit, right?
– saulspatz
Nov 17 at 18:18






"Suppose $x^2$ is irreducible. In particular, this means it isn't a prime." You meant to say it isn't a unit, right?
– saulspatz
Nov 17 at 18:18














Beware $ $ There is no standard of "irreducible" in rings with zero-divisors. Various incompatible definitions are in use. e.g. see the paper linked here, where (Corollary 2.7) idempotents are irreducible $iff$ prime.
– Bill Dubuque
Nov 17 at 22:22




Beware $ $ There is no standard of "irreducible" in rings with zero-divisors. Various incompatible definitions are in use. e.g. see the paper linked here, where (Corollary 2.7) idempotents are irreducible $iff$ prime.
– Bill Dubuque
Nov 17 at 22:22












@BillDubuque okay, I see your point. So is it true that for all $a$, $b$ such that $x^2=ab$ we have either $x^2 vert a$ and $a vert x^2$ or $x^2 vert b$ and $b vert x^2$? Also, for the definition of prime there is no problem no? $ab in (p) iff p vert ab$
– roi_saumon
Nov 17 at 23:37






@BillDubuque okay, I see your point. So is it true that for all $a$, $b$ such that $x^2=ab$ we have either $x^2 vert a$ and $a vert x^2$ or $x^2 vert b$ and $b vert x^2$? Also, for the definition of prime there is no problem no? $ab in (p) iff p vert ab$
– roi_saumon
Nov 17 at 23:37

















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