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In Dummit and Foote, Section 8.3 on Unique Factorization Domains, Proposition 10 reads as follows:
Proposition 10: In an integral domain a prime element is always irreducible.
The proof reads as follows:
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Suppose (p) is a non-zero prime ideal and p = ab.
Then [TEX] ab = p \in (p) [/TEX], so by definition of prime ideal, one of a or b, say a, is in (p).
Thus a = pr for some r.
This implies p = ab = prb and so rb = 1 and b is a unit.
This shows that p is irreducible.
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My question is as follows: Where in this proof do D&F use the fact that p is in an integral domain? (It almost reads as if this applies for any ring)
Peter
Proposition 10: In an integral domain a prime element is always irreducible.
The proof reads as follows:
===========================================================
Suppose (p) is a non-zero prime ideal and p = ab.
Then [TEX] ab = p \in (p) [/TEX], so by definition of prime ideal, one of a or b, say a, is in (p).
Thus a = pr for some r.
This implies p = ab = prb and so rb = 1 and b is a unit.
This shows that p is irreducible.
==============================================================
My question is as follows: Where in this proof do D&F use the fact that p is in an integral domain? (It almost reads as if this applies for any ring)
Peter