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Viewing Version 33 of 'two-generator property'
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Title of object: two-generator property
Canonical Name: TwoGeneratorProperty
Type: Theorem

Created on: 2004-02-27 16:18:56
Modified on: 2007-06-01 15:48:10

Creator: pahio
Modifier: pahio
Author: pahio
Author: mathcam

Classification: msc:11R04
Synonyms: two-generator property=Ideal of Dedekind domain

Revision comment (for changes between this and next version):

Changes for correction #12919 ('contains own proof').

Preamble:

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Content:

\begin{thmplain}
\,\,Every ideal of a Dedekind domain can be generated by two of its elements.
\end{thmplain}

{\em Proof}.\, Let $\mathfrak{a}$ be an arbitrary ideal of a Dedekind domain $R$.\, Let $\mathfrak{b}$ be such an ideal of $R$ that $\mathfrak{ab}$ is a principal ideal $(\beta)$.\, The lemma to which this entry is attached gives also an element $\gamma$ and an ideal $\mathfrak{c}$ of $R$ such that\, $\mathfrak{ac} = (\gamma)$\, and\, $\mathfrak{b+c} = R$.\, Then we have
$$\mathfrak{a} = \gcd(\mathfrak{ab},\,\mathfrak{ac}) =
\gcd((\beta),\,(\gamma)) = (\beta,\,\gamma)$$
because\, $\gcd(\mathfrak{b},\,\mathfrak{c}) = \mathfrak{b+c} = R = (1)$. $\Box$

The Dedekind domains are trivially Pr\"ufer domains, but the {\em two-generator property} can not be generalized to the invertible ideals of all Pr\"ufer domains (and Pr\"ufer rings):\, Sch\"ulting has constructed an invertible ideal of a Pr\"ufer domain that can not be generated by less than three generators.\, The example of Sch\"ulting is the fractional ideal\, $(1,\,X,\,Y)$\, of the Pr\"ufer domain\, $\bigcap_j B_j$\, where the $B_j$'s run all valuation rings of the rational function field\, $\mathbb{R}(X,\,Y)$\, which have the residue fields formally real.

\begin{thebibliography}{9}
\bibitem{EM}{\sc Eben Matlis:} ``{The two-generator problem for ideals}''. \,-- {\em The Michigan Mathematical Journal} \textbf{17}\, $\mbox{N}\sp\circ$ 3 (1970).
\bibitem{HWS}{\sc Heinz-Werner Sch\"ulting:} ``{\"Uber die Erzeugendenanzahl invertierbarer Ideale in Pr\"uferringen}''. \,-- {\em Communications in Algebra} \textbf{7}\, $\mbox{N}\sp\circ$ 13 (1979). [Zentralblatt 432.13010]
\end{thebibliography}