Euclidean Valuation of Non-Unit is less than that of Product
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Theorem
Let $\struct {D, +, \times}$ be a Euclidean domain whose zero is $0$, and unity is $1$.
Let the valuation function of $D$ be $\nu$.
Let $b, c \in D_{\ne 0}$.
Then:
- If $c$ is not a unit of $D$ then $\map \nu b < \map \nu {b c}$
Proof
By principal ideal domain, $D$ is a principal ideal domain
Consider the principal ideal $U = \ideal b$ of $D$ generated by $b$.
As $\nu$ is a valuation function, we have:
- $\forall x \in D, x \ne 0: \map \nu b \le \map \nu {b \times x}$
As $U$ is a principal ideal:
- $\forall a \in \ideal b: \exists x \in D: a = x \times b$
and so:
- $\forall a \in U: \map \nu b \le \map \nu a$
Let $\map \nu b = \map \nu {b c}$.
Then from above:
- $\forall a \in U: \map \nu {b c} \le \map \nu a$
From the argument in Euclidean Domain is Principal Ideal Domain, we have that $U$ is also the ideal generated by $b c$.
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Thus $a b$ is a divisor of $b$ itself, that is:
- $\exists y \in D: b = b c y$
Thus:
- $c y = 1$
and so $c$ is a unit of $D$.
So if $c$ is not a unit, then it must be the case that $\map \nu b < \map \nu {b c}$.
$\blacksquare$
Sources
- 1969: C.R.J. Clapham: Introduction to Abstract Algebra ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $6$: Polynomials and Euclidean Rings: $\S 30$. Unique Factorization: Theorem $58 \ \text{(i)}$