Alphabeta Math
ExampleConstruction: Literature-sourcedVerification: AI-adaptedprecheck passaudited 2026-08-26
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The subring k[x,y,x/y,x/y2,…] of k(x,y) has a strictly ascending chain of principal ideals

Example

Let k be a field. Then k[x,y] is an integral domain, so it has a field of fractions (The field of fractions Frac⁡(D)=(D∖{0})−1D of an integral domain) in which it embeds (Frac⁡(D) is a field and d↦d/1 embeds the integral domain D); write k(x,y):=Frac⁡(k[x,y]) and identify k[x,y] with its image. Inside k(x,y) let

R  :=  k[x,  y,  x/y,  x/y2,  x/y3,…]

be the smallest subring of k(x,y) containing k, x, y and x/yi for every i≥1. Then

(x)  ⊊  (x/y)  ⊊  (x/y2)  ⊊  ⋯

is a strictly ascending chain of principal ideals of R. It never stabilises, so R is not Noetherian.

The element y belongs to R and is what makes each inclusion hold: x=y⋅(x/y), x/y=y⋅(x/y2), and so on. What makes each inclusion strict is that y is not invertible in R.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: A field k, the iterated polynomial ring k[x,y]=k[x][y], and the field k(x,y)=Frac⁡(k[x,y]) with k[x,y] identified with its image. For c∈N and d∈Z the symbol xcyd denotes the element xcyd of k(x,y), read as the fraction xc/y−d when d<0.

[L1]

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

[L2]

An integral domain is a commutative ring R with 1≠0 and no zero divisors, that is, in which ab=0 implies a=0 or b=0 (Zero divisor, and integral domain: a commutative ring with 1≠0 and no zero divisors).

[L3]

If R is an integral domain, then R[x1,…,xn] is an integral domain for every n∈N, including n=0 (A polynomial ring in finitely many indeterminates over an integral domain is an integral domain).

[L4]

If D is an integral domain then D∖{0} is multiplicative and Frac⁡(D)=(D∖{0})−1D is the field of fractions of D, with elements the fractions a/b (b≠0) modulo the localisation equivalence (The field of fractions Frac⁡(D)=(D∖{0})−1D of an integral domain).

[L5]

For every integral domain D the ring Frac⁡(D) is a field, and d↦d/1 is an injective unital ring homomorphism D→Frac⁡(D) (Frac⁡(D) is a field and d↦d/1 embeds the integral domain D).

[L6]

A subset S of a ring is a subring when 1∈S and S is closed under addition, additive inverses and multiplication (Subring: a subset containing 1R and closed under addition, additive inverses and multiplication).

[L7]

Polynomial rings in finitely many indeterminates are defined by R[x1,…,x0]:=R and R[x1,…,xn+1]:=R[x1,…,xn][xn+1] (Polynomial rings in finitely many commuting indeterminates by iteration).

[L8]

R[x] is the set of finitely supported functions N→R, with coefficientwise addition and convolution product (The polynomial ring over a commutative ring as finitely supported coefficient sequences with convolution).

[L9]

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

[L10]

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).

Verification

technique · direct
1.1L1L2L3L4L5given

A field is an integral domain: it is a commutative ring with 1≠0, and if ab=0 with a≠0 then b=a−1ab=0. Hence k[x,y] is an integral domain, its field of fractions k(x,y) is a field, and k[x,y] embeds in it.

2.1L6step 1.1

Let R be the intersection of all subrings of k(x,y) containing k, x, y and every x/yi with i≥1; this family is nonempty because k(x,y) itself belongs to it, and an intersection of subrings is a subring, so R is the smallest such subring.

3.1L6L9step 2.1

R is the set of k-linear combinations of the elements xcyd with c≥1 and d∈Z, together with the elements yd with d≥0. Call that set S. It is a subring: it contains 1=y0, is visibly closed under addition and additive inverses, and is closed under multiplication because (xcyd)(xc′yd′)=xc+c′yd+d′, where c+c′≥1 as soon as one of c,c′ is, and where d+d′≥0 when c=c′=0. It contains the listed generators, since x=x1y0, y=y1 and x/yi=x1y−i. Conversely every element of S lies in any subring containing the generators, because xcyd with c≥1 is xc−1 times xyd, and xyd is x⋅yd when d≥0 and is the generator x/y−d when d<0. So S=R.

4.1L5L7L8step 3.1

The elements xcyd of k(x,y), for c≥0 and d∈Z, are k-linearly independent, and consequently 1/y∉R. For the independence, a finite relation ∑λc,d xcyd=0 becomes, after multiplication by yM for M large enough that every d+M occurring is at least 0, a relation ∑λc,d xcyd+M=0 among distinct monomials of k[x,y]; a polynomial is a finitely supported family of coefficients, so it vanishes exactly when every coefficient does, and the embedding of k[x,y] is injective, so all λc,d=0. Now 1/y=x0y−1, whose index pair has c=0 and d=−1<0; by step 3.1 and the independence just proved, 1/y is not among the k-linear combinations making up R.

5.1L9L10step 3.1step 4.1

For every n∈N, (x/yn)⊆(x/yn+1) and the inclusion is strict. The inclusion holds because y∈R and x/yn=y⋅(x/yn+1), so the generator of the left ideal lies in the right one. If the two were equal then x/yn+1=r⋅x/yn for some r∈R; multiplying by yn/x in the field k(x,y), which is legitimate because x≠0 and y≠0 there, gives r=1/y, contradicting step 4.1. At n=0 this reads (x)⊊(x/y).

6.1L11step 5.1∎

The chain (x)⊆(x/y)⊆(x/y2)⊆⋯ is an ascending chain of ideals of R indexed by N with every inclusion strict, so for no index N is it constant from N onwards. The ascending chain condition fails and R is not Noetherian.

Remarks

  • The failure here is a non-terminating factorisation. Splitting off a factor of y gives x=y⋅(x/y), then x/y=y⋅(x/y2), and so on without end, and the ascending chain of principal ideals is the same phenomenon read as ideals. That is a different failure from the one on this page's subalgebra of k[x,y], where a single ideal needs infinitely many generators while every principal ideal behaves.

  • Dropping y from the generating list breaks the example. The quotient of two consecutive generators x/yn and x/yn+1 is y, so without y in the ring there is nothing to make the inclusion (x/yn)⊆(x/yn+1) hold, and the displayed chain is no longer ascending. The published source lists y among the generators for exactly this reason.

  • No ideal in the chain is the unit ideal, so R is not a field. Each x/yn has c=1 in the description of step 3.1, and multiplying it by any r∈R produces a k-combination of elements xcyd with c≥1; the element 1=x0y0 is not one of those, by the independence in step 4.1.

Depends on

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Sources