Alphabeta Math
ExampleConstruction: Literature-sourcedVerification: AI-adaptedprecheck passaudited 2026-08-26
How statement and proof provenance work

The first chip identifies the source of the statement or construction; the second identifies the source of its local proof or verification.

  • Literature-sourced: the exact statement appears in a cited source; only wording and notation differ.
  • AI-adapted: a semantically identical restatement of literature-sourced material, modulo indexing, notation, and boundary cases adopted by the library.
  • AI-generated: a genuinely novel statement formulated by AI, with no source for the claim itself.

These labels describe origin, not correctness: citations and verification chips remain separate evidence.

Fields and Z are Noetherian, and so are their polynomial rings in finitely many variables

Example

Every field K (Field) is a Noetherian ring, and so is Z. Consequently K[x1,…,xn] and Z[x1,…,xn] are Noetherian for every n∈N (If R is Noetherian then R[x1,…,xn] is Noetherian for every n∈N).

What is asserted is that every ideal of each of these rings is finitely generated. No description of the ideals of K[x1,…,xn] or Z[x1,…,xn] is claimed, and for n≥2 none is available from this argument.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: A field K, the ring Z of integers, and n∈N.

[L1]

A field is a set F with two operations and distinguished elements 0≠1 such that (F,+) is an abelian group, multiplication is associative and commutative on all of F with x⋅1=x, every x≠0 has a multiplicative inverse, and multiplication distributes over addition (Field).

[L2]

Every subgroup H≤(Z,+) equals nZ=⟨n⟩ for exactly one natural number n; in particular every subgroup of (Z,+) is cyclic (Every subgroup of (Z,+) is ⟨n⟩=nZ for exactly one natural number n).

[L3]

For S⊆R, (S) is the intersection of all two-sided ideals containing S; ({a}) is written (a) and is called principal (The ideal generated by a subset and principal ideals).

[L4]

An ideal of a ring is in particular an additive subgroup of it (Left, right and two-sided ideals).

[L5]

In a commutative ring, (S) consists of finite sums ∑risi, and (a)=Ra (In a commutative ring, (S) consists of finite sums ∑risi, and (a)=Ra).

[L7]

If R is a Noetherian commutative ring then R[x1,…,xn] is Noetherian for every n∈N (If R is Noetherian then R[x1,…,xn] is Noetherian for every n∈N).

Verification

technique · direct
1.1L1L3L5L6given

Let I be an ideal of a field K. If I={0} then I=(0). Otherwise I contains some a≠0, which has an inverse in K, so 1=a−1a∈I and hence r=r⋅1∈I for every r∈K, giving I=K=(1). Either way I is generated by one element, so every ideal of K is finitely generated and K is Noetherian.

1.2L2L3L4L5L6given

Let I be an ideal of Z. It is an additive subgroup of (Z,+), so it equals mZ for some natural number m; and mZ=Zm=(m). So every ideal of Z is principal, hence finitely generated, and Z is Noetherian.

2.1L7step 1.1step 1.2∎

Since K and Z are Noetherian commutative rings, K[x1,…,xn] and Z[x1,…,xn] are Noetherian for every n∈N, the case n=0 returning the base rings themselves.

Remarks

  • A field is Noetherian for a reason that says nothing about size. The argument in step 1.1 uses only invertibility of nonzero elements, so it applies to Q, to R and to a field with infinite transcendence degree over its prime subfield alike.

  • The conclusion is finite generation, not principality. For n≥2 the ideal generated by x1 and x2 in K[x1,…,xn] is not principal, and the Noetherian condition does not claim otherwise.

Depends on

Used by

Dependency tree · two levels

38 results within two dependency steps of this one, each drawn at its shortest distance from it. An arrow runs from a result to what uses it, so the chart reads left to right and ends at this result, which carries a heavier outline. Every node is a link to that result. Click elsewhere on the chart to enlarge it.

Sources