Paper 3, Section II, H

Galois Theory
Part II, 2012

Let q=pf(f1)q=p^{f}(f \geqslant 1) be a power of the prime pp, and Fq\mathbb{F}_{q} be a finite field consisting of qq elements.

Let NN be a positive integer prime to pp, and Fq(μN)\mathbb{F}_{q}\left(\boldsymbol{\mu}_{N}\right) be the cyclotomic extension obtained by adjoining all NN th roots of unity to Fq\mathbb{F}_{q}. Prove that Fq(μN)\mathbb{F}_{q}\left(\boldsymbol{\mu}_{N}\right) is a finite field with qnq^{n} elements, where nn is the order of the element qmodNq \bmod N in the multiplicative group (Z/NZ)×(\mathbb{Z} / N \mathbb{Z})^{\times}of the ringZ/NZ\operatorname{ring} \mathbb{Z} / N \mathbb{Z}.

Explain why what is proven above specialises to the following fact: the finite field Fp\mathbb{F}_{p} for an odd prime pp contains a square root of 1-1 if and only if p1(mod4)p \equiv 1(\bmod 4).

[Standard facts on finite fields and their extensions can be quoted without proof, as long as they are clearly stated.]