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For a more elementary discussion of Galois groups in terms of permutation groups, see the article on Galois Theory .


DEFINITION OF THE GALOIS GROUP


Suppose that ''E'' is an Extension of the Field ''F''. Consider the set of all field Automorphisms of ''E''/''F''; that is, Isomorphism s α from ''E'' to itself, such that α(''x'') = ''x'' for every ''x'' in ''F''. This set of automorphisms with the operation of Function Composition forms a group ''G'', sometimes denoted Aut(''E''/''F'').

If ''E''/''F'' is a Galois Extension , then ''G'' is called the Galois group of the extension, and is usually denoted Gal(''E''/''F'').


EXAMPLES

In the following examples ''F'' is a field, and C, '''R''', and '''Q''' are the fields of Complex , Real , and Rational numbers, respectively. The notation ''F''(''a'') indicates the Field Extension obtained by Adjoining an element ''a'' to the field ''F''.

  • Gal(''F''/''F'') is the trivial group that has a single element, namely the identity automorphism.

  • Gal(C/'''R''') has two elements, the identity automorphism and the Complex Conjugation automorphism.

  • Aut(R/'''Q''') contains only the identity. Indeed it can be shown that any '''Q'''-automorphism must preserve the Ordering of the real numbers and hence must be the identity.

  • Gal(C/'''Q''') is an infinite group.

  • The group

  • :: \operatorname{Gal}(\mathbf{Q}(\sqrt{2})/\mathbf{Q})

:has two elements, the identity automorphism and the automorphism which exchanges √2 and −√2.
  • Consider the field

  • :: K = \mathbf{Q}(\sqrt {Link without Title} {2}).

: The group Aut(''K''/Q) contains only the identity automorphism. This is because ''K'' is not a Normal Extension , since the other two cube roots of 2 (both complex) are missing from the extension — in other words ''K'' is not a Splitting Field .
  • Consider now

  • : L = \mathbf{Q}(\sqrt {Link without Title} {2}, \omega),

:where ω is a Primitive Third Root Of Unity . The group Gal(''L''/Q) is isomorphic to S3, the Dihedral Group Of Order 6 , and ''L'' is in fact the splitting field of ''x''3 − 2 over Q.


FACTS

The significance of an extension being Galois is that it obeys the Fundamental Theorem Of Galois Theory : the subgroups of the Galois group correspond to the intermediate fields of the field extension.

It can be shown that ''E'' is Algebraic over ''F'' if and only if the Galois group is Pro-finite .