Field Extension/Examples

Examples of Field Extensions

Complex Numbers over Reals

The complex numbers $\C$ forms a finite field extension over the real numbers $\R$ of degree $2$.

Real Numbers of Type $a + b \sqrt 2: a, b \in \Q$

Let $\Q \sqbrk {\sqrt 2}$ denote the set:

$\Q \sqbrk {\sqrt 2} := \set {a + b \sqrt 2: a, b \in \Q}$

that is, all numbers of the form $a + b \sqrt 2$ where $a$ and $b$ are rational numbers.

Then $\Q \sqbrk {\sqrt 2}$ forms a finite field extension over the rational numbers $\Q$ of degree $2$.