What Are the Units in the Ring $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{-7}]$?

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In summary, in order to find the units in $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{-7}]$, we can take $x,y\in\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{-7}]$ where $x$ has the form $a+b\sqrt{-7}$ and $y$ has the form $c+d\sqrt{-7}$ for arbitrary $x$ and $y$. If $(a+b\sqrt{-7})(c+d\sqrt{-7})=1$, then $(a-b\sqrt{-7})(c-d\sqrt{-7})=1$ and this leads to $1=(a^2+7b^2)(c^2+7d^2)$. Therefore, $b=d
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hmmmmm
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I have to find the units in $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{-7}]$ so take $x,y\in\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{-7}]$ then x has the form $a+b\sqrt{-7}$ and y has the form $c+d\sqrt{-7}$ for arbitrary x and y.

If $(a+b\sqrt{-7})(c+d\sqrt{-7})=1$ then $(a-b\sqrt{-7})(c-d\sqrt{-7})=1$ and so:

$1=(a+b\sqrt{-7})(c+d\sqrt{-7})(a-b\sqrt{-7})(c-d\sqrt{-7})=1$ which gives $1=(a^2+7b^2)(c^2+7d^2)$ so $b=d=0$ and $1=a^2c^2$ so either $a=c=1$ or $a=c=-1$ and these are the only units in $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{-7}]$

Is the above correct? (Sorry for so many of these type of questions)

Thanks very much for any help
 
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Re: Finding the units in $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{-7}]$

hmmm16 said:
Is the above correct?
Yes.
 

FAQ: What Are the Units in the Ring $\mathbb{Z}[\sqrt{-7}]$?

How do you find the units in Z[√(-7)]?

The units in Z[√(-7)] are numbers that have a multiplicative inverse, meaning they can be multiplied by another number to equal 1. In this case, the units in Z[√(-7)] are numbers of the form a + b√(-7), where a and b are integers, and a^2 + 7b^2 = 1.

Can any number be a unit in Z[√(-7)]?

No, not all numbers in Z[√(-7)] are units. Only numbers that satisfy the condition a^2 + 7b^2 = 1 can be considered units in Z[√(-7)].

Are there infinitely many units in Z[√(-7)]?

Yes, there are infinitely many units in Z[√(-7)]. This is because there are infinitely many solutions to the equation a^2 + 7b^2 = 1, and each solution represents a unit in Z[√(-7)].

How do you determine if a number is a unit in Z[√(-7)]?

To determine if a number is a unit in Z[√(-7)], you can use the norm function. If the norm of the number is equal to 1, then it is a unit in Z[√(-7)]. The norm of a number a + b√(-7) is defined as a^2 + 7b^2.

Can you provide an example of a unit in Z[√(-7)]?

One example of a unit in Z[√(-7)] is 2 + √(-7). Its norm is 4 + 7 = 11, which equals 1 in Z[√(-7)]. Another example is -3 + 2√(-7), with a norm of 9 + 28 = 37, also equal to 1 in Z[√(-7)].

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