Scribd
Upload
12 views

Lecture 5

The document discusses irreducible, primitive, and minimal polynomials over finite fields. It defines these terms and presents several theorems and examples related to factorization of polynomials, roots of polynomials, and how minimal polynomials characterize the conjugates of field elements.

Uploaded by

elmzyonasara
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
12 views

Lecture 5

The document discusses irreducible, primitive, and minimal polynomials over finite fields. It defines these terms and presents several theorems and examples related to factorization of polynomials, roots of polynomials, and how minimal polynomials characterize the conjugates of field elements.

Uploaded by

elmzyonasara
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 17

Irreducible Polynomials

• When f(X) is divided by g(X) and r(X) = 0, then g(X) is


a factor of f(X) and we say that f(X) is divisible by
g(X). (g(X)|f(X))
• If a polynomial f(X) has no factors other than 1 and
itself, then we say that the polynomial is irreducible.
• Furthermore, any reducible polynomial can be
expressed as the multiplication of a group of
irreducible polynomials much like any number can be
factored into a multiplication of primes.

Irreducible, Primitive and Minimal Polynomials


Factorization of Polynomials

• For f(X) on GF(q) and β is an element of GF(q), if f(β) = 0, then β


is a root of f(X) and f(X) is divisible by X-β.
• Example
– On GF(2), if f0 = 0 for any polynomial, then it is divisible by X.
• f(X) = X+X2 has 0 as a root, therefore f(X) = X(1+X). (as
we can see, it also has 1 as a root.
– On GF(2), if f(X) has an even number of terms, then f(1) = 0.
Therefore (X+1) is a factor of f(X).
• f(X) = 1+X+X3+X4. f(1) = 1+1+13+14 = 1+1+1+1=0.
• f(X)=(1+X3)(1+X). Furthermore, we can show that 1+X3 =
(1+X)(1+X+X2).
– 1+X+X2 is a polynomial of degree 2. It is irreducible in
GF(2).

Irreducible, Primitive and Minimal Polynomials


Factorization of Polynomials (2)

• Suppose we define f(X) = 1+X+X2 over GF(4).


• Then f(0) = 1, f(1) = 1, f(α) = 1+α+α2 = α2+α2 = 0 and
f(α2) = 1+α2+(α2)2 = 1+α2+α = 0.
• Thus α and α2 are roots of 1+X+X2 in GF(4). Thus
1+X+X2 = (X-α)(X-α2) = (X+α)(X+α2).
• The conclusion here is that a polynomial that is
irreducible in GF(p), is not necessarily irreducible in
GF(pm).

Irreducible, Primitive and Minimal Polynomials


Theorem 8

• An irreducible polynomial of degree m on GF(p)


divides X −1 − 1
m
p

• For proof of theorem 8 see R.J. McEliece, Finite Fields for


Computer Scientists and Engineers, Boston: Kluwer Academic
Publishers, 1988.
• It will become apparent when we discuss minimal polynomials.

Irreducible, Primitive and Minimal Polynomials


Example of Theorem 8

• We have seen that 1+X+X2 is irreducible in GF(2).


Therefore according to Theorem 8, it must divide
1+X3.
X +1
X 2 + X +1 X 3 +1
X3 + X2 + X
X 2 + X +1
X 2 + X +1
0

Irreducible, Primitive and Minimal Polynomials


Primitive Polynomials

• An irreducible polynomial on GF(p), f(X), is said to be primitive if


the smallest value of n for which it divides Xn-1 is n = pm-1.
• In other words, although all irreducible polynomials divide Xn-1
where n = pm-1, some polynomials also divide Xn-1 where n <
pm-1. These polynomials are not primitive.
• 1+X+X2 is a primitive polynomial on GF(2), as it divides X3+1 but
it does not divide Xn+1 for n<3.
• 1+X+X4 is an irreducible polynomial in GF(2). It divides X15+1,
but it does not divide Xn+1 for n<15. Therefore it is primitive.
• X4+X3+X2+X+1 is irreducible on GF(2). It divides X15+1, but it
also divides X5+1. It is, therefore, not primitive.

Irreducible, Primitive and Minimal Polynomials


Theorem 9

• An irreducible polynomial of degree m in GF(p) has


roots in GF(pm) that all have the same order. In other
words, if f(X) is a polynomial of degree m and is
irreducible in GF(p), and if f(α) = f(β) = 0 in GF(pm),
then ord(α) = ord(β).
– This will become evident when we discuss
conjugacy classes and minimal polynomials.

Irreducible, Primitive and Minimal Polynomials


Theorem 10

• Primitive polynomials of degree m in GF(p) have


roots in GF(pm) which have order pm-1. In other
words, if f(X) is primitive in GF(p), and f(α) = 0 in
GF(pm), then α has order pm-1.
– Proof using theorems 8 and 9.

Irreducible, Primitive and Minimal Polynomials


Consequence of Theorem 10

• If f(X) is a primitive polynomial of degree m in GF(p)


and α is a root of f(X) in GF(pm), then a has order pm-
1 in GF(pm) and is therefore a primitive element in
GF(pm).

Irreducible, Primitive and Minimal Polynomials


Example

• GF(4) as an extension field of GF(2).


– f(X)=X2+X+1 is a primitive polynomial of degree 2 in GF(2).
– m = 2.
– The root of f(X) in GF(22) is a primitive element of GF(22).
– Element α is a root of f(X) in GF(4) if α2+α+1=0. Or α2=α+1.
– Then α1 = α, α2 = α+1 and α3 = α2α = α2+α = α+1+α =
(1+1)α+1 = 1.

Irreducible, Primitive and Minimal Polynomials


Example 2

• GF(8) as an extension field of GF(2).


– We need a primitive polynomial of degree 3.
– X3+X+1 is irreducible and divides X7+1 but does not divide
Xn+1 for n < 7. Therefore X3+X+1 is primitive.
– The element α is a root if α3 = α+1.
– GF(8) is {0, α1=α, α2= α2, α3= α+1, α4= α2+ α, α5= α3+ α2=
α2+ α+1, α6= α3+ α2+α= α2+ 1, α7= α3+α = 1}.
– Vectorially, GF(8) = {(0,0,0), (0,0,1), (0,1,0), (1,0,0), (0,1,1),
(1,1,0), (1,1,1), (1,0,1)}.

Irreducible, Primitive and Minimal Polynomials


Minimal Polynomials and Conjugate Elements

• A minimal polynomial is defined as follows:


– Let α be an element in the field GF(qm). The
minimal polynomial of α with respect to GF(q) is
the smallest degree non-zero polynomial p(X) in
GF(q) such that p(α) = 0 in GF(qm).

Irreducible, Primitive and Minimal Polynomials


Properties of Minimal Polynomials

• For each element α in GF(qm) there exists a unique,


non-zero polynomial p(X) of minimal degree in GF(q)
such that the following are true:
1. p(α) = 0 in GF(qm)
2. The degree of p(X) is less than or equal to m
3. f(α)=0 implies that f(X) is a multiple of p(X).
4. p(X) is irreducible in GF(q).

Irreducible, Primitive and Minimal Polynomials


Conjugates of field elements

• Let β be an element of GF(qm).


• β is a conjugate of β, where i is an integer.
qi

• Theorem 11
– The conjugacy class of β is made up of the
sequence β , β q , β q 2 , β q 3 ,..., β q d −1
– If we continue the sequence βd = β and this is the
first element of the sequence to be repeated.
– d divides m.
See S.B. Wicker, Error Control Systems for Digital Communication and Storage,
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1995, pages 55-56 for proof.

Irreducible, Primitive and Minimal Polynomials


Example

• Conjugacy class of elements in GF(8) wrt GF(2)


– {1}
– {α, α2, α4}
– {a3, α6, α5}
• Conjugacy class of elements in GF(16) wrt GF(4)
– {1}
– {α, α4}, {α2, α8}, {α3, α12}, {α5}
– {α6, α9}, {α7, α13}, {α10}, {α11, α14}

Irreducible, Primitive and Minimal Polynomials


Theorem 12

• Let β , which is an element in GF(qm), have a minimal


polynomial p(X) with respect to GF(q).
• The roots of p(X) in GF(qm) are the conjugates of β
with respect to GF(q).

From Theorem 12 we find that if p(X) is a minimal


polynomial of β in GF(qm) wrt GF(q), then
d −1
p( X ) = ∏ ( X − β ) qi

i =0

Irreducible, Primitive and Minimal Polynomials


Example

• Minimal polynomials of GF(4) wrt GF(2):


– {1} -> X+1
– {α, α2} -> (X+α)(X+α2) = X2+(α+α2)X+α3 = X2+X+1
• Minimal polynomials of GF(8) wrt GF(2)
– {1} -> X+1
– {α, α2, α4} -> (X+α)(X+α2) (X+α4)=X3 +
(α+α2+α4)X2 + (α3+α5+α6)X + α7= X3+X+1.
– {α3, α5, α6} -> (X+α3)(X+α5) (X+α6)=X3 +
(α3+α5+α6)X2 + (α+α2+α4)X + α7= X3+X2+1.

Irreducible, Primitive and Minimal Polynomials

You might also like