Alphabeta Math
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.

15 results · all verified · 13 also independently AI-judged
Every result on this page is machine-checked by a proof checker and read in full and owner-audited; the judge is an additional, independent cross-model AI review of the proofs. The 2 not AI-judged were verified by owner audit (typically over a confirmed judge false positive), not failures.

Affine Schemes and the Structure Sheaf

1 · Prerequisites

2 · Summary

An affine scheme is a prime spectrum equipped with the sheaf obtained by localizing the coordinate ring on distinguished opens. This page builds that sheaf from its basis data, computes its stalks and global functions, and uses those computations to explain the reversal from ring maps to scheme maps.

The final items distinguish closed, generic, and classical points; retain nilpotents through a basic thickening; and introduce the functor-of-points viewpoint. Throughout, rings are commutative and unital, with the zero ring allowed: its spectrum is empty.

3 · Logical flowchart

4 · Definitions, theorems and proofs

DefinitionDefinition: Literature-sourcedProof: Not applicablejudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06Open item page →

The underlying space of an affine spectrum

Definition

All rings below are commutative with 1. For a ring A, the underlying topological spectrum is the Zariski space whose points are the prime ideals of A; its basic opens are D(f)={p:fp}. This notation is deliberately topological until the structure sheaf is constructed. For A=0 there are no proper prime ideals, so this space is empty.

DefinitionDefinition: Literature-sourcedProof: Not applicablejudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06Open item page →

The localization presheaf on distinguished opens

Definition

For X=SpecA, assign A~(D(f))=Af. If D(g)D(f), the restriction is the unique homomorphism AfAg extending AAg; it exists because f is invertible in Ag. The next lemma proves that this assignment is independent of the displayed generator.

LemmaStatement: Literature-sourcedProof: AI-adaptedprecheck passjudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06Open item page →

Localization sections are independent of a distinguished-open presentation

Statement

Assume the Axiom of Choice. The assignment D(f)Af, with the localization restrictions, is independent of the representation of a distinguished open and is a sheaf on the distinguished-open basis.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: The Axiom of Choice, a ring A, and an arbitrary cover D(f)=iID(gi) by distinguished opens contained in D(f).

Proof

technique · direct
1.1

If D(g)D(f), localization universality gives the canonical restriction AfAg; for equal opens the two restrictions are inverse.

given
2.1

Under D(f)Spec(Af), the cover becomes the distinguished cover by the images of the gi. The spectrum-cover lemma makes those images generate the unit ideal in Af, so a finite subfamily already generates 1. The standard localization calculation for a finite unit-ideal cover then glues every compatible family in the (Af)giAgi uniquely to an element of Af.

step 1.1algebra
2.2

This includes the empty case: if D(f)=, then f lies in every prime ideal, so it is nilpotent; hence Af is the zero ring, and the empty compatible family glues uniquely to its sole element.

step 1.1algebra
3.1

Thus gluing and uniqueness hold for every cover of a distinguished open by distinguished opens, not only for finite covers. This is precisely the sheaf axiom for the localization presheaf on the distinguished-open basis, so steps 2.1 and 2.2 prove the claim.

step 2.1step 2.2
TheoremStatement: Literature-sourcedProof: AI-adaptedprecheck passjudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06Open item page →

The localization construction extends to the structure sheaf on Spec A

Statement

Assume the Axiom of Choice. For every ring A, the basic-open localization data extend uniquely to a sheaf of rings OSpecA on all opens of SpecA.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: The Axiom of Choice and the distinguished-open localization assignment of the preceding lemma.

Proof

technique · direct
1.1

The preceding lemma gives a sheaf of rings A~ on the distinguished-open basis.

given
2.1

For an open U, let O(U) be the ring of families (sx)xU of germs of A~ such that every xU has a distinguished neighborhood D(f)U on which the family is represented by one section of A~(D(f)). Restriction discards the germs outside the smaller open, and ring operations are pointwise. These maps make O a presheaf of rings; for U=, the empty germ family is its unique element.

step 1.1
3.1

Local representability is itself local, so compatible families in the rings O(Ui) glue uniquely by taking their pointwise germs. Hence O is a sheaf of rings. If U=D(f) is distinguished, the map from A~(D(f)) to its family of germs is bijective by locality and gluing for the basis sheaf in step 1.1. Thus O agrees with the localization assignment on every distinguished open.

step 1.1step 2.1
4.1

If G is any other sheaf of rings with the same basis restriction, its sections on each open U map to the locally representable germ families of step 2.1. The sheaf axiom makes this map bijective and compatible with restrictions, so GO uniquely through the prescribed basis identifications.

step 2.1step 3.1
TheoremStatement: Literature-sourcedProof: AI-adaptedprecheck passjudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06Open item page →

Sections and restrictions on distinguished opens of an affine scheme

Statement

For fA, Γ(D(f),O)=Af. If D(g)D(f), the restriction is the canonical localization map AfAg.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: The sheaf extending the localization basis assignment.

Proof

technique · direct
1.1

The extended sheaf agrees with the basis assignment on D(f), so its sections are Af.

given
2.1

Its restriction along D(g)D(f) is the prescribed canonical localization map AfAg.

step 1.1
3.1

If D(f)=, then Af=0, the unique ring of sections on the empty open.

step 1.1
TheoremStatement: Literature-sourcedProof: AI-adaptedprecheck passjudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06 rests on unproved material (inherited)Open item page →
Rests on 3 statements not proved in this library, by way of the results it cites. This item cites no such statement directly; it depends on results that do. The unproved premises it inherits are Cohen's first model: an infinite Dedekind-finite set of reals, Sierpiński 1947: the generalised continuum hypothesis implies the Axiom of Choice and The continuum hypothesis and its generalisation are independent of ZFC. Each is recorded with a citation to the literature and is not established here, because the track that would prove it has not yet been developed in this library. Everything else in this proof is proved here.

The stalk of the affine structure sheaf at a prime is A_p

Statement

For pSpecA, there is a canonical isomorphism OSpecA,pAp.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: A prime p and the affine structure sheaf.

Proof

technique · direct
1.1

The opens D(f) with fp are cofinal neighborhoods of p, and their sections are Af.

given
2.1

Hence the stalk is limfpAf.

step 1.1
3.1

This colimit is Ap by the universal property of localization.

step 2.1
CorollaryStatement: Literature-sourcedProof: AI-adaptedprecheck passjudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06 rests on unproved material (inherited)Open item page →
Rests on 3 statements not proved in this library, by way of the results it cites. This item cites no such statement directly; it depends on results that do. The unproved premises it inherits are Cohen's first model: an infinite Dedekind-finite set of reals, Sierpiński 1947: the generalised continuum hypothesis implies the Axiom of Choice and The continuum hypothesis and its generalisation are independent of ZFC. Each is recorded with a citation to the literature and is not established here, because the track that would prove it has not yet been developed in this library. Everything else in this proof is proved here.

Spec A with its structure sheaf is a locally ringed space

Statement

(SpecA,OSpecA) is a locally ringed space.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: The affine structure sheaf.

Proof

technique · direct
1.1

At p, the stalk is canonically isomorphic to [given] Ap.

given
2.1

The ring Ap is local, with maximal ideal [step 1.1] pAp, so the canonically isomorphic stalk is local as well.

step 1.1
3.1

Thus every stalk is local, which is exactly the locally ringed condition.

step 2.1
DefinitionDefinition: Literature-sourcedProof: Not applicablejudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06 rests on unproved material (inherited)Open item page →
Rests on 3 statements not proved in this library, by way of the results it cites. This item cites no such statement directly; it depends on results that do. The unproved premises it inherits are Cohen's first model: an infinite Dedekind-finite set of reals, Sierpiński 1947: the generalised continuum hypothesis implies the Axiom of Choice and The continuum hypothesis and its generalisation are independent of ZFC. Each is recorded with a citation to the literature and is not established here, because the track that would prove it has not yet been developed in this library. Everything else in this proof is proved here.

The residue field at a point of an affine scheme

Definition

For a point x of a locally ringed space, put κ(x)=OX,x/mx. If x=p in an affine spectrum, the canonical isomorphism OX,pAp carries mp to pAp and therefore induces canonical field isomorphisms κ(p)Ap/pApFrac(A/p).

TheoremStatement: Literature-sourcedProof: AI-adaptedprecheck passjudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06Open item page →

Global functions on Spec A recover A

Statement

The canonical map AΓ(SpecA,O) is an isomorphism, including when A=0.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: The basic-open section calculation.

Proof

technique · direct
1.1

D(1)=SpecA.

given
2.1

The basic-open calculation gives Γ(D(1),O)=A1.

step 1.1
3.1

The canonical map AA1 is an isomorphism, also for A=0.

step 2.1
LemmaStatement: Literature-sourcedProof: AI-adaptedprecheck passjudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06Open item page →

A principal localization identifies its spectrum with a distinguished open

Statement

For fA, the morphism induced by AAf identifies Spec(Af) with the open locally ringed subspace D(f) of SpecA.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: A commutative ring A and fA.

[F1]

The map on prime spectra induced by AAf is a homeomorphism onto D(f) (The spectrum of a principal localisation is the distinguished open D(f)).

[F2]

The structure-sheaf sections on a distinguished open are the corresponding localizations (Sections and restrictions on distinguished opens of an affine scheme).

Proof

technique · direct
1.1

By [F1], the underlying map is a homeomorphism from Spec(Af) onto D(f).

F1
1.2

On D(g)D(f) the relevant section rings are (Af)g/1 and Ag, canonically isomorphic and compatible with restrictions.

F2algebra
2.1

The basic opens cover D(f), so the preceding identifications give an isomorphism of locally ringed spaces.

step 1.1step 1.2
DefinitionDefinition: Literature-sourcedProof: Not applicablejudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06 rests on unproved material (inherited)Open item page →
Rests on 3 statements not proved in this library, by way of the results it cites. This item cites no such statement directly; it depends on results that do. The unproved premises it inherits are Cohen's first model: an infinite Dedekind-finite set of reals, Sierpiński 1947: the generalised continuum hypothesis implies the Axiom of Choice and The continuum hypothesis and its generalisation are independent of ZFC. Each is recorded with a citation to the literature and is not established here, because the track that would prove it has not yet been developed in this library. Everything else in this proof is proved here.

Affine schemes and their coordinate rings

Definition

An affine scheme is a locally ringed space isomorphic to (SpecA,OSpecA) for some ring A. Such an A is a coordinate ring; it is canonically recovered as the global sections after a chosen affine presentation.

DefinitionDefinition: Literature-sourcedProof: Not applicablejudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06 rests on unproved material (inherited)Open item page →
Rests on 3 statements not proved in this library, by way of the results it cites. This item cites no such statement directly; it depends on results that do. The unproved premises it inherits are Cohen's first model: an infinite Dedekind-finite set of reals, Sierpiński 1947: the generalised continuum hypothesis implies the Axiom of Choice and The continuum hypothesis and its generalisation are independent of ZFC. Each is recorded with a citation to the literature and is not established here, because the track that would prove it has not yet been developed in this library. Everything else in this proof is proved here.

The map of affine spectra induced by a ring homomorphism

Definition

A homomorphism φ:AB gives the continuous contraction map SpecBSpecA, qφ1q. On D(f) its sheaf map is the localization map AfBφ(f); these commute with restrictions and define a morphism of ringed spaces. Its localness is verified next.

LemmaStatement: Literature-sourcedProof: AI-adaptedprecheck passjudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06 rests on unproved material (inherited)Open item page →
Rests on 3 statements not proved in this library, by way of the results it cites. This item cites no such statement directly; it depends on results that do. The unproved premises it inherits are Cohen's first model: an infinite Dedekind-finite set of reals, Sierpiński 1947: the generalised continuum hypothesis implies the Axiom of Choice and The continuum hypothesis and its generalisation are independent of ZFC. Each is recorded with a citation to the literature and is not established here, because the track that would prove it has not yet been developed in this library. Everything else in this proof is proved here.

The stalk maps induced by a ring map are local

Statement

Let φ:AB, let qSpecB, and put p=φ1(q). The induced stalk homomorphism ApBq is local.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: A ring map φ:AB and a prime q of B.

[F1]

The induced map of affine spectra has, on stalks, the localization map at p=φ1(q) (The map of affine spectra induced by a ring homomorphism).

[F2]

The maximal ideals of Ap and Bq are pAp and qBq, respectively (Rp is local with unique maximal ideal pRp).

Proof

technique · direct
1.1

By [F1], the stalk map sends a/s to φ(a)/φ(s), for sp.

F1
1.2

This image lies in qBq exactly when φ(a)q, because its denominator is outside the prime ideal.

givenalgebra
2.1

Thus [F2] identifies the inverse image of qBq with pAp, so the map is local.

F2step 1.2
TheoremStatement: Literature-sourcedProof: AI-adaptedprecheck passjudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06 rests on unproved material (inherited)Open item page →
Rests on 3 statements not proved in this library, by way of the results it cites. This item cites no such statement directly; it depends on results that do. The unproved premises it inherits are Cohen's first model: an infinite Dedekind-finite set of reals, Sierpiński 1947: the generalised continuum hypothesis implies the Axiom of Choice and The continuum hypothesis and its generalisation are independent of ZFC. Each is recorded with a citation to the literature and is not established here, because the track that would prove it has not yet been developed in this library. Everything else in this proof is proved here.

Affine schemes are contravariantly equivalent to commutative rings

Statement

For commutative unital rings A,B, the assignment φSpec(φ) gives a natural bijection HomCRing(A,B)HomLRS(SpecB,SpecA). Consequently ASpecA is a contravariant equivalence from commutative rings to affine schemes, with quasi-inverse global sections.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: Commutative unital rings A,B and a morphism u:SpecBSpecA.

[F1]

Global sections of an affine spectrum recover its ring (Global functions on Spec A recover A).

[F2]

A ring map gives a morphism of affine spectra (The map of affine spectra induced by a ring homomorphism), and its stalk maps are local (The stalk maps induced by a ring map are local).

Proof

technique · direct
1.1

By [F2], every ring map AB induces a locally ringed-space morphism SpecBSpecA.

F2
1.2

A morphism u gives a global-sections map u:AB using [F1].

F1
2.1

Locality determines its point map by contraction and localization determines each basic-open section map, so u=Spec(u).

step 1.2algebra
3.1

The constructions of steps 1.1--2.1 are inverse and natural; global sections is the quasi-inverse.

step 1.1step 2.1
CorollaryStatement: Literature-sourcedProof: AI-adaptedprecheck passjudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06 rests on unproved material (inherited)Open item page →
Rests on 3 statements not proved in this library, by way of the results it cites. This item cites no such statement directly; it depends on results that do. The unproved premises it inherits are Cohen's first model: an infinite Dedekind-finite set of reals, Sierpiński 1947: the generalised continuum hypothesis implies the Axiom of Choice and The continuum hypothesis and its generalisation are independent of ZFC. Each is recorded with a citation to the literature and is not established here, because the track that would prove it has not yet been developed in this library. Everything else in this proof is proved here.

Affine-scheme isomorphisms are exactly coordinate-ring isomorphisms in reverse direction

Statement

An affine-scheme morphism SpecBSpecA is an isomorphism if and only if its associated homomorphism AB is an isomorphism.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: A morphism u:SpecBSpecA.

[F1]

Affine spectra and commutative rings are contravariantly equivalent (Affine schemes are contravariantly equivalent to commutative rings).

Proof

technique · direct
1.1

If u is an isomorphism, [F1] carries its inverse to an inverse of the associated ring map AB.

F1
1.2

If AB is an isomorphism, its inverse ring map induces the inverse of u.

F1
2.1

These two implications prove the claim.

step 1.1step 1.2
DefinitionDefinition: Literature-sourcedProof: Not applicablejudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06 rests on unproved material (inherited)Open item page →
Rests on 3 statements not proved in this library, by way of the results it cites. This item cites no such statement directly; it depends on results that do. The unproved premises it inherits are Cohen's first model: an infinite Dedekind-finite set of reals, Sierpiński 1947: the generalised continuum hypothesis implies the Axiom of Choice and The continuum hypothesis and its generalisation are independent of ZFC. Each is recorded with a citation to the literature and is not established here, because the track that would prove it has not yet been developed in this library. Everything else in this proof is proved here.

Closed points of an affine scheme

Definition

A point x of a scheme is closed when {x} is closed in its underlying topology. Assuming the Axiom of Choice, the closed points of SpecA are exactly the maximal ideals of A.

LemmaStatement: Literature-sourcedProof: AI-adaptedprecheck passaudited 2026-09-06 rests on unproved material (inherited)Open item page →
Rests on 3 statements not proved in this library, by way of the results it cites. This item cites no such statement directly; it depends on results that do. The unproved premises it inherits are Cohen's first model: an infinite Dedekind-finite set of reals, Sierpiński 1947: the generalised continuum hypothesis implies the Axiom of Choice and The continuum hypothesis and its generalisation are independent of ZFC. Each is recorded with a citation to the literature and is not established here, because the track that would prove it has not yet been developed in this library. Everything else in this proof is proved here.

Classical k-points give closed points over an algebraically closed field

Statement

Let k be algebraically closed and let A be a reduced finite-type k-algebra. The closed points of SpecA are exactly the kernels of the k-algebra maps Ak. They need not exhaust all points of SpecA.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: An algebraically closed field k and a reduced finite-type k-algebra A.

[F1]

Every maximal ideal of an affine k-algebra is the kernel of a k-algebra map to k (Over an algebraically closed field, maximal ideals of an affine algebra are kernels of points).

[F2]

Closed points of an affine scheme are its maximal ideals (Closed points of an affine scheme).

Proof

technique · direct
1.1

A closed point is maximal by [F2], and [F1] identifies every such ideal with a kernel Ak.

F1F2
1.2

Every unital k-algebra map Ak is surjective, so its kernel is maximal and hence closed by [F2].

F2algebra
2.1

Thus classical k-points and closed points agree, but this makes no assertion that every prime is maximal.

step 1.1step 1.2
DefinitionDefinition: Literature-sourcedProof: Not applicablejudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06 rests on unproved material (inherited)Open item page →
Rests on 3 statements not proved in this library, by way of the results it cites. This item cites no such statement directly; it depends on results that do. The unproved premises it inherits are Cohen's first model: an infinite Dedekind-finite set of reals, Sierpiński 1947: the generalised continuum hypothesis implies the Axiom of Choice and The continuum hypothesis and its generalisation are independent of ZFC. Each is recorded with a citation to the literature and is not established here, because the track that would prove it has not yet been developed in this library. Everything else in this proof is proved here.

Generic points of irreducible closed subsets

Definition

A point x is a generic point of a closed subset Z if {x}=Z. For a prime p of A, the point p is generic for V(p).

TheoremStatement: Literature-sourcedProof: AI-adaptedprecheck passjudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06 rests on unproved material (inherited)Open item page →
Rests on 3 statements not proved in this library, by way of the results it cites. This item cites no such statement directly; it depends on results that do. The unproved premises it inherits are Cohen's first model: an infinite Dedekind-finite set of reals, Sierpiński 1947: the generalised continuum hypothesis implies the Axiom of Choice and The continuum hypothesis and its generalisation are independent of ZFC. Each is recorded with a citation to the literature and is not established here, because the track that would prove it has not yet been developed in this library. Everything else in this proof is proved here.

Every irreducible closed subset of an affine spectrum has a unique generic point

Statement

Assume the Axiom of Choice. Every irreducible closed subset of SpecA has a unique generic point. Thus every affine spectrum is sober.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: A commutative ring A, the Axiom of Choice, and an irreducible closed subset Z of SpecA.

[F1]

A nonempty irreducible closed subset is V(p) for a unique prime p, which is its unique generic point (A Zariski-closed subset is irreducible exactly when its radical defining ideal is prime, and then it has a unique generic point).

Proof

technique · direct
1.1

The irreducible closed subset Z is nonempty, so [F1] gives a prime p generic for Z.

F1
1.2

Any other generic point has the same closure and is equal to p by the uniqueness in [F1].

F1
2.1

Therefore every irreducible closed subset has a unique generic point.

step 1.1step 1.2
DefinitionDefinition: Literature-sourcedProof: Not applicablejudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06 rests on unproved material (inherited)Open item page →
Rests on 3 statements not proved in this library, by way of the results it cites. This item cites no such statement directly; it depends on results that do. The unproved premises it inherits are Cohen's first model: an infinite Dedekind-finite set of reals, Sierpiński 1947: the generalised continuum hypothesis implies the Axiom of Choice and The continuum hypothesis and its generalisation are independent of ZFC. Each is recorded with a citation to the literature and is not established here, because the track that would prove it has not yet been developed in this library. Everything else in this proof is proved here.

Reduced affine schemes

Definition

An affine scheme is reduced if (equivalently, for every) coordinate ring A is reduced. This is presentation-independent because an affine-scheme isomorphism gives an isomorphism of coordinate rings.

DefinitionDefinition: Literature-sourcedProof: Not applicableaudited 2026-09-06 rests on unproved material (inherited)Open item page →
Rests on 3 statements not proved in this library, by way of the results it cites. This item cites no such statement directly; it depends on results that do. The unproved premises it inherits are Cohen's first model: an infinite Dedekind-finite set of reals, Sierpiński 1947: the generalised continuum hypothesis implies the Axiom of Choice and The continuum hypothesis and its generalisation are independent of ZFC. Each is recorded with a citation to the literature and is not established here, because the track that would prove it has not yet been developed in this library. Everything else in this proof is proved here.

Integral affine schemes

Definition

An affine scheme XSpecA is integral when A is a nonzero integral domain. Equivalently, X is nonempty, reduced, and irreducible: reduced says the nilradical is zero, and irreducibility says that nilradical is prime, hence (0) is prime; nonemptiness excludes A=0.

DefinitionDefinition: Literature-sourcedProof: Not applicablejudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06 rests on unproved material (inherited)Open item page →
Rests on 3 statements not proved in this library, by way of the results it cites. This item cites no such statement directly; it depends on results that do. The unproved premises it inherits are Cohen's first model: an infinite Dedekind-finite set of reals, Sierpiński 1947: the generalised continuum hypothesis implies the Axiom of Choice and The continuum hypothesis and its generalisation are independent of ZFC. Each is recorded with a citation to the literature and is not established here, because the track that would prove it has not yet been developed in this library. Everything else in this proof is proved here.

An affine nilpotent thickening

Definition

If IA is nilpotent, the quotient map gives the affine nilpotent thickening Spec(A/I)SpecA. It is a homeomorphism on underlying spaces, but need not be an isomorphism of schemes: the quotient may remove nonzero nilpotent sections.

DefinitionDefinition: Literature-sourcedProof: Not applicablejudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06 rests on unproved material (inherited)Open item page →
Rests on 3 statements not proved in this library, by way of the results it cites. This item cites no such statement directly; it depends on results that do. The unproved premises it inherits are Cohen's first model: an infinite Dedekind-finite set of reals, Sierpiński 1947: the generalised continuum hypothesis implies the Axiom of Choice and The continuum hypothesis and its generalisation are independent of ZFC. Each is recorded with a citation to the literature and is not established here, because the track that would prove it has not yet been developed in this library. Everything else in this proof is proved here.

The functor of points of an affine scheme

Definition

For a scheme X, its functor of points is the covariant functor on commutative rings hX(R)=HomSch(SpecR,X). For X=SpecA, it is naturally hX(R)=HomCRing(A,R).

TheoremStatement: Literature-sourcedProof: AI-adaptedprecheck passaudited 2026-09-06 rests on unproved material (inherited)Open item page →
Rests on 3 statements not proved in this library, by way of the results it cites. This item cites no such statement directly; it depends on results that do. The unproved premises it inherits are Cohen's first model: an infinite Dedekind-finite set of reals, Sierpiński 1947: the generalised continuum hypothesis implies the Axiom of Choice and The continuum hypothesis and its generalisation are independent of ZFC. Each is recorded with a citation to the literature and is not established here, because the track that would prove it has not yet been developed in this library. Everything else in this proof is proved here.

An affine scheme is determined by its functor of points

Statement

If X and Y are affine schemes and hXhY naturally as functors on commutative rings, then XY as schemes.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: Affine schemes X,Y and a natural isomorphism hXhY.

[F1]

Yoneda identifies natural transformations between representable functors with morphisms between their representing objects (The Yoneda bijection Nat(C(a,),F)F(a) is natural in both a and F).

Proof

technique · direct
1.1

By [F1], the natural isomorphism and its inverse are induced by morphisms XY and YX.

F1
1.2

Their composites induce identity natural transformations, so faithfulness in [F1] makes both composites identity morphisms.

F1
2.1

The two morphisms are inverse scheme isomorphisms.

step 1.1step 1.2
DefinitionDefinition: Literature-sourcedProof: Not applicablejudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06 rests on unproved material (inherited)Open item page →
Rests on 3 statements not proved in this library, by way of the results it cites. This item cites no such statement directly; it depends on results that do. The unproved premises it inherits are Cohen's first model: an infinite Dedekind-finite set of reals, Sierpiński 1947: the generalised continuum hypothesis implies the Axiom of Choice and The continuum hypothesis and its generalisation are independent of ZFC. Each is recorded with a citation to the literature and is not established here, because the track that would prove it has not yet been developed in this library. Everything else in this proof is proved here.

The affine scheme of dual numbers

Definition

For a field k, the dual-numbers scheme is Dk=Spec(k[ϵ]/(ϵ2)). Its class ϵ is nilpotent, so this is an infinitesimal affine test scheme rather than a reduced point.

LemmaStatement: Literature-sourcedProof: AI-adaptedprecheck passjudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06Open item page →

Every distinguished open of an affine spectrum is quasi-compact

Statement

Assume the Axiom of Choice. For every fA, the distinguished open D(f)SpecA is quasi-compact.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: The Axiom of Choice, a commutative ring A, and fA.

[F1]

D(f) is homeomorphic to Spec(Af) (A principal localization identifies its spectrum with a distinguished open).

[F2]

Assuming the Axiom of Choice, the prime spectrum of every commutative ring is compact (The prime spectrum is compact in the library's non-Hausdorff sense).

Proof

technique · direct
1.1

By [F1], D(f) is homeomorphic to Spec(Af).

F1
1.2

The latter is compact by [F2], including when Af is the zero ring.

F2
2.1

Compactness transfers across the homeomorphism.

step 1.1step 1.2
CorollaryStatement: Literature-sourcedProof: AI-adaptedprecheck passjudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06 rests on unproved material (inherited)Open item page →
Rests on 3 statements not proved in this library, by way of the results it cites. This item cites no such statement directly; it depends on results that do. The unproved premises it inherits are Cohen's first model: an infinite Dedekind-finite set of reals, Sierpiński 1947: the generalised continuum hypothesis implies the Axiom of Choice and The continuum hypothesis and its generalisation are independent of ZFC. Each is recorded with a citation to the literature and is not established here, because the track that would prove it has not yet been developed in this library. Everything else in this proof is proved here.

Every affine scheme is quasi-compact

Statement

Every affine scheme is quasi-compact.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: An affine scheme X.

[F1]

Every distinguished open of an affine spectrum is quasi-compact (Every distinguished open of an affine spectrum is quasi-compact).

Proof

technique · direct
1.1

Choose an isomorphism XSpecA from affineness.

givenchoose
1.2

The whole spectrum is D(1), which is quasi-compact by [F1].

F1
2.1

Its homeomorphic copy X is quasi-compact.

step 1.1step 1.2
RemarkRemark: Literature-sourcedProof: Not applicablejudge pass (gpt-5.6-terra)audited 2026-09-06 rests on unproved material (inherited)Open item page →
Rests on 3 statements not proved in this library, by way of the results it cites. This item cites no such statement directly; it depends on results that do. The unproved premises it inherits are Cohen's first model: an infinite Dedekind-finite set of reals, Sierpiński 1947: the generalised continuum hypothesis implies the Axiom of Choice and The continuum hypothesis and its generalisation are independent of ZFC. Each is recorded with a citation to the literature and is not established here, because the track that would prove it has not yet been developed in this library. Everything else in this proof is proved here.

Contravariance reverses coordinates and scheme points are not only classical points

An arrow AB of coordinate rings induces an arrow SpecBSpecA. A scheme point has its residue field κ(x); it need not be a closed point or evaluation at a ground-field element. Generic points are the basic warning against that identification.

5 · Examples, counterexamples and false statements

None yet.

Sources