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TheoremStatement: AI-adaptedProof: AI-adaptedSession-authored (Fable 5 assisted)precheck passaudited 2026-08-26
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The recursion defines a unique monic ΦnZ[t], of degree φ(n)

Statement

The recursion of The cyclotomic polynomials ΦnZ[t], defined by dnΦd=tn1 is well posed: for every n1 the division defining Φn is exact, Φn is a monic element of Z[t],

dnΦd=tn1,

the product being over the positive divisors of n, and

degΦn=φ(n)

(The unit group (Z/n)× and Euler's totient φ(n)=(Z/n)× for n1). Moreover (Φn)n1 is the only family of monic polynomials in Z[t] satisfying the displayed product identity for every n1.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: The recursion of The cyclotomic polynomials ΦnZ[t], defined by dnΦd=tn1; the field Q, which is an ordered field (The rationals form a totally ordered field), so that m1>0 and in particular m10 for every m1, whence charQ=0 (The characteristic of a ring: the least n1 with n1R=0 when one exists, and 0 otherwise) and charQ divides no n1 (Divisibility in Z: da when a=dq for some integer q).

[L1]

Let R be a commutative ring and gR[x] monic. For every fR[x] there are unique q,rR[x] with f=qg+r and r=0 or degr<degg (Division by a monic polynomial over a commutative ring).

[L3]

Every nonzero fK[x] has a splitting field over K (Every nonzero polynomial over a field has a splitting field); f monic of degree m splits over E when f=j=1m(tαj) with αjE, repetitions allowed (Polynomials that split and splitting fields of a polynomial or a family of polynomials).

[L4]

f is separable over K when it has no repeated root in any extension field, a repeated root of f in E being an a with (ta)2 dividing the image of f in E[t] (Repeated roots in extension fields and separable polynomials).

[L7]

If R is an integral domain then so is R[x] (A polynomial ring over an integral domain is an integral domain), and for nonzero f,g one has deg(fg)=degf+degg and lc(fg)=lc(f)lc(g) (Over an integral domain, degrees add under multiplication of nonzero polynomials, Degree, leading coefficient and monic polynomial, with the zero polynomial having no degree).

Proof

technique · induction
1.1

The assertion to be proved by strong induction on n is: the division defining Φn is exact, ΦnZ[t] is monic, dnΦd=tn1, and degΦn=φ(n). At n=1 the recursion sets Φ1=t1 outright, the only positive divisor of 1 is 1 so the product is Φ1=t1, and degΦ1=1=φ(1).

basegiven
1.2

Inductive hypothesis: fix n2 and assume the assertion for every m with 1m<n.

ih
1.3

Since charQ=0 does not divide n, [L2] and [L3] supply a splitting field E of tn1 over Q in which tn1 is separable and μn(E) is cyclic of order n. For a positive divisor d of n put Sd:={ζμn(E):ord(ζ)=d} and Ψd:=ζSd(tζ)E[t], a monic polynomial of degree Sd.

L2L3given
2.1

For every positive divisor m of n one has tm1=ζμm(E)(tζ) with μm(E)=m: the polynomial tm1 divides tn1 in Z[t], since tn1=(tm1)(tnm+tn2m++1) when mn, so it splits over E by [L3], and a repeated root of tm1 in an extension would be a repeated root of tn1 there, which [L4] excludes; hence its m roots are distinct and they are by definition the elements of μm(E).

step 1.3L3L4algebra
3.1

For every positive divisor m of n, μm(E) is the disjoint union of the Sd over positive divisors d of m: an element ζμn(E) has finite order dividing n, and ζm=1 holds exactly when ord(ζ)m by [L5]. Hence dmΨd=ζμm(E)(tζ)=tm1 by step 2.1.

step 1.3step 2.1L5
4.1

For every positive divisor d of n with d<n one has Φd=Ψd, by induction on d through the divisors of n: at d=1 both equal t1, since S1={1}; and if Φe=Ψe for every positive divisor e of d with e<d, then step 1.2 and step 3.1 give (ed,e<dΨe)Φd=td1=(ed,e<dΨe)Ψd, and cancelling the nonzero left factor in the integral domain E[t] ([L7]) yields Φd=Ψd.

step 1.2step 3.1L7
5.1

Write P:=dn,d<nΦd, monic in Z[t] by step 1.2 and [L7]. By step 4.1 and step 3.1 applied with m=n, in E[t] one has tn1=(dn,d<nΨd)Ψn=PΨn.

step 1.2step 3.1step 4.1L7
6.1

The division of tn1 by P in Z[t] is exact and its quotient is Ψn: by [L1] over Z there are unique q,rZ[t] with tn1=qP+r and r=0 or degr<degP; this is also a division by the monic P in E[t], where step 5.1 exhibits the division with quotient Ψn and remainder 0, so the uniqueness clause of [L1] over E forces q=Ψn and r=0. Hence Φn=q=Ψn is monic in Z[t] and dnΦd=PΦn=tn1.

step 5.1L1L7
7.1

Degrees: taking degrees in tn1=PΦn with [L7] gives n=degP+degΦn, and degP=dn,d<ndegΦd=dn,d<nφ(d) by step 1.2 and [L7]; so degΦn=ndn,d<nφ(d)=φ(n) by [L6].

step 1.2step 6.1L6L7
8.1

This is the assertion at n, so the strong induction is complete and the assertion holds for every n1. Uniqueness of the family follows by the same induction: if (Φm)m1 is monic in Z[t] with dmΦd=tm1 for all m, then Φ1=t1=Φ1, and if Φm=Φm for all m<n then PΦn=tn1=PΦn with P0 in the integral domain Z[t] ([L7]), so Φn=Φn.

step 6.1step 7.1L7discharge-induction

Remarks

Depends on

Used by

Cited to discharge well-definedness by The cyclotomic polynomials Φₙ∈ℤ[t], defined by ∏_d∣ nΦ_d=tⁿ-1.

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