A4.4

Groups, Rings and Fields
Part II, 2002

Let FF be a finite field. Show that there is a unique prime pp for which FF contains the field Fp\mathbb{F}_{p} of pp elements. Prove that FF contains pnp^{n} elements, for some nNn \in \mathbb{N}. Show that xpn=xx^{p^{n}}=x for all xFx \in F, and hence find a polynomial fFp[X]f \in \mathbb{F}_{p}[X] such that FF is the splitting field of ff. Show that, up to isomorphism, FF is the unique field Fpn\mathbb{F}_{p^{n}} of size pnp^{n}.

[Standard results about splitting fields may be assumed.]

Prove that the mapping sending xx to xpx^{p} is an automorphism of Fpn\mathbb{F}_{p^{n}}. Deduce that the Galois group Gal (Fpn/Fp)\left(\mathbb{F}_{p^{n}} / \mathbb{F}_{p}\right) is cyclic of order nn. For which mm is Fpm\mathbb{F}_{p^{m}} a subfield of Fpn\mathbb{F}_{p^{n}} ?