A1.4 B1.3

Groups, Rings and Fields | Part II, 2004

(i) Let RR be a commutative ring. Define the terms prime ideal and maximal ideal, and show that if an ideal MM in RR is maximal then MM is also prime.

(ii) Let PP be a non-trivial prime ideal in the commutative ring RR ('non-trivial' meaning that P{0}P \neq\{0\} and PRP \neq R ). If PP has finite index as a subgroup of RR, show that PP is also maximal. Give an example to show that this may fail, if the assumption of finite index is omitted. Finally, show that if RR is a principal ideal domain, then every non-trivial prime ideal in RR is maximal.

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