Definition:Field of Quotients/Definition 1
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Definition
Let $D$ be an integral domain.
A field of quotients of $D$ is a pair $\struct {F, \iota}$ where:
- $(1): \quad$ $F$ is a field
- $(2): \quad$ $\iota : D \to F$ is a ring monomorphism
- $(3): \quad \forall z \in F: \exists x \in D, y \in D_{\ne 0}: z = \dfrac {\map \iota x} {\map \iota y}$
Also known as
Since the construction of the field of quotients $F$ from an integral domain $D$ mirrors the construction of the rationals from $\Z$, $F$ is sometimes called the field of fractions or fraction field of $D$.
Some sources prefer the term quotient field, but this can cause confusion with similarly named but unrelated concepts.
Common notations include $\map {\operatorname {Frac} } D$, $\map Q D$ and $\map {\operatorname {Quot} } D$.
Also see
Sources
- 1965: Seth Warner: Modern Algebra ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $\text {IV}$: Rings and Fields: $23$. The Field of Rational Numbers