Dtyjlui

How to prove $Bbb Z[i]/(1+2i)cong Bbb Z_5$?

My method is

$$(1+2i)=big{a+bi丨a+2b≡0pmod 5big},$$

So any $a+bi$ in $Bbb Z(i)$,we got

$$a+bi=(b-2a)i+a(1+2i).$$

So $Bbb Z[i]/(1+2i)=big{0,[i],[2i],[3i],[4i]big}$.

I know how to prove this ring is isomorphic to $Bbb Z_5$, but how can I prove that $Bbb Z[i]/(1+2i)$ equals to $Bbb Z_5$ directly? Any suggestion ia appreciated.

I think it is easier to do it this way. Let $varphi:Bbb Z[x]to Bbb Z[i]$ sending $xmapsto i$. Then the preimage of the ideal $I=(1+2i)=(i-2)$ of $Bbb Z[i]$ under $varphi$ is the ideal $J=(x^2+1,x-2)$ of $Bbb Z[x]$. Thus $varphi$ induces the isomorphism $$Bbb{Z}[i]/Icong Bbb{Z}[x]/J.$$

Now observe that
$$J=(x^2+1,x-2)=(x^2+1,x-2,x^2-4)=(5,x-2).$$
This shows that$$frac{Bbb Z[i]}{(1+2i)}=frac{Bbb{Z}[i]}{(i-2)}cong frac{Bbb Z[x]}{(x^2+1,x-2)}=frac{Bbb{Z}[x]}{(5,x-2)}congfrac{Bbb{Z}[x]/(x-2)}{(5,x-2)/(x-2)}.$$
Because under the isomorphism $Bbb{Z}[x]/(x-2)cong Bbb Z$ (which sends $p(x)+{color{red}{(x-2)}}$ to $p(2)$), $(5,x-2)/(x-2)$ is the ideal $5Bbb{Z}$ of $Bbb Z$, we get
$$frac{Bbb Z[i]}{(1+2i)}congfrac{Bbb Z}{5Bbb Z},$$
as required.

A ring homomorphism $varphicolonmathbb{Z}[i]tomathbb{Z}_5$ is uniquely determined by assigning $q=varphi(i)$, which should be an element satisfying $q^2=-1$; thus you have two choices: $q=2$ or $q=-2$.

With the second choice, you have $varphi(a+bi)=[a-2b]$. Can you determine $kervarphi$?

Hint: $(1+2i)(1-2i)=5$. Hence $(1+2i)supset (5)$. Hence $mathbb Z[i]/(1+2i)subset mathbb Z_5[i]/(1+2i)$. But $Z_5[i]/(1+2i)cong mathbb Z_5$, since $a+bi=a+2b+(1+2i)$.

To show there are $5$ distinct elements (cosets), just consider (the equivalence classes of) ${0,1,2,3,4}$. It's easy to see none of them are the same.

If you know you have five cosets here, then try the representatives $0,1,2,3,4$ which you can prove are not equal. Because $(1+2i)(1-2i)=5$ is in your ideal then the arithmetic with these representatives is just that in $mathbb Z_5$ - you can reduce any integer representative of a coset modulo $5$.

Note: If you want to do the whole thing, it is easy to show that every coset contains an integer because $1+2i$ and $i(1+2i)=i-2$ are both in your ideal. Then $5$ is in your ideal, so every coset contains one of $0,1,2,3,4$.