D.

E
) 2.1
§ Preliminaries

§2 NOETHERIAN RINGS AND MODULES

.
"-
Let A be a ring.

(2.1) PROPOSITION.:
","
For a1J,
"
A" -module'M
/
,the follow'ing three conditions are equivalent:
r
(i) Every submodule of M is finitely generated,. ','
t'
r

(ii) M satisfies the "ascendingchain condition" for submodules, i.e. if MI ~ M2 ~

M3 ~ ... is any sequenceof submodulesof M then thereexists a positiveinteger
n such that Mn = Mn+1 = Mn+2 = ... .
(iii) Every non-empty family of submodules of M has a maximal element.

PROOF. (i) =} (ii): Let MI ~ M2 ~

~ ... be a sequence of submodules of M. Let
M3
N = U~l Mi. Then N is a submodule of M and is therefore generated by a finite number
of elements, say Xl,' ", Xr. There exists a positive integer n such that Xl,' .. , Xr E Mn.
Therefore we have Mn = N, so that Mn = MnH = . . . .
(ii) =} (iii): Let F be a non-empty family of submodules of M. Suppose F does
not have a maximal element. Choose any MI E F. Suppose there exist M2,..., Mn E
F such that MI C M2 C ... C Mn. Then, since Mn is not maximal, there exists
MnH E F such that Mn C Mn+i. Thus by induction on n we get an infinite sequence
MI C M2 C M3 C ... such that Mn =F Mn+1 for every n. This contradicts (ii).
(iii) =} (i): Let N be a submodule of M. Let F be the family of all finitely generated
submodules of N. Since 0 E F, F is non-empty. Therefore F has a maximal element,
say N'. If N' =F N then there exists X E N, X rt N'. The submoduleN' + Ax of N is
finitely generated and contains N' properly. This is a contradiction. Therefore N' = N
and N is finitely generated. .
(2.2) DEFINITION. An A-module M is said to be noetherian if it satisfies the equiv-
alent conditions of the above Proposition. A ring A is a noetherian ring if it is
noetherian as an A-module.

(2.3) EXAMPLES. Let K be a field.

(2.3.1) A vector space V over K is noetherian if and only DimK(V) < 00.
(2.3.2) Every princicipal ideal domain is noetherian. In particular, the polynomial ring K[X] and the
formal power seriesring K[[X]] are noetherian.
(2,3,3) If A is a noetherian ring and!! is an ideal of A. Then AI!! is a noetherian ring.

(2.4) PROPOSITION.Let 0 -+ M' -4 M l!t Mil -+ 0 bean exact sequenceof A-modules.

Then M is noetherian if and only if both M' and Mil are noetherian.

PROOF. Suppose M is noetherian. Since M' is isomorphic to a submodule of M, M'

is noetherian. L.et Nil be a submodule of Mil. Then g-I(N") is a submodule of M.
Therefore there exist Xl,"', Xr E g-I(N") such that g-I(N") is generated by Xl,"', Xr.

1
 § Preliminaries 2.2

Since 9 is surjective, we have Nil = g(g-l(N")). It follows that Nil is generated by

g(X1),'" ,g(xr). Thus Mil is noetherian.
Conversely, suppose M' and Mil are noetherian. Let N be a submodule of M.
Then g(N) is a submodule of Mil. Therefore there exist XI,"', Xr E N such that
g(X1),...,g(xr) generate g(N). Next, f-1(N) is a submodule of M'. Therefore there
exist Y1,'" , Ys E f-1(N) such that f-1(N) is generated by Y1,'" , Ys. We claim that
N is generated by Xl,"', Xr, f(Y1),"', f(ys). For, let zEN. Then g(z) = L~=l aig(xi)
with al,"', ar E A. Let z' = 'z- 2.:~=1aiXi' Then z' E NnKer(g) = Nnr;s(f). Therefore ~
z' = f(x') with x' E f-1(N). There exist b1,"', bs E A such that x' = 2.:j=lbjYj. Thus
z = 2.:~=1 aiXi + Lj=l bjf(Yj). This proves our claim. .
(2.5)COROLLARY.
LetN bea submoduleof an A-moduleM. Then M is noetherianif
and only if both Nand M IN are noetherian.
(2.6) COROLLARY.Finite direct sum of noetherian modules is noetherian.
(2.7) COROLLARY. Let A be a noetherian ring and let M be a finitely generated A-
module. Then M is noetherian.
PROOF. . Suppose M is generated by Xl,"', Xr' We prove the assertion by induction
on r. First suppose r = 1. Let 9 : A -7 M be the map defined by g(a) = aXl. Then 9 is
a surjective homomorphism and it follows from Proposition (2.4) that M is noetherian.
Now, suppose r 2: 2. Let M' = AXr. Let 9 : M -7 MIM' be the natural surjection.
Then MIM' is generated by g(X1),'" ,g(xr-d. Therefore by induction both M' and
MIM' are noetherian. Therefore M is noetherian by Corollary (2.5). .
(2.8) PROPOSITION. Let 8 be a multiplicative subset of A and let M be a noetherian
A-module. Then 8-1 M is a noetherian 8-1 A-module.
PROOF.Let N be an S-l A-submodule of 8-1 M. Then N nMis an A-submodule of M
and therefore generated by finitely many elements, say Xl, . . . , Xr. Since 8-1(N n M) =
N, it follows that N is generated as an 8-1 A-module by xI/I,. . " xr/1. .
(2.9) COROLLARY.Let 8 be a multiplicative subset of a noetherian ring A. Then 8-1A
is noetherian. In particular, the localization of a noetherian ring at a prime ideal is
noetherian.

(2.10) HILBERT'SBASISTHEOREM. Let A be a noetherian ring. Then the polynomial

ring A [Xl , . . " Xn] in n variables over A is also noetherian.
PROOF. . By induction on n, it is sufficient to prove the theorem for n = 1 , i.e. that
the polynomial ring B = A[X] in one variable is noetherian. Let h be any ideal of B.
We will show that h is finitely generated. we may assume that h O. Suppose that
=1=

Q is not finitely generated. Then choose iI, 12, 13,' .. inductively such that fn is of
smallest degree in Q \ 2.:~~l B Ii- Let dn := deg(fn) and an := leading coefficient of f.
Then dl ::; d2 ::; . . . . Since A is noetherian, There exists a positive integer m such that
am E L::"11Aai. Write am = 2.::11 G:iaiwith G:iE A. Let 9 := fm - 2.::01 G:ixdm-diIi-
Then 9 E Q \ 2.::11 Bfi and deg(g) < dm. This contradicts the choice of fm' Therefore
Q is finitely generated. .

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) § Preliminaries 2.3

(2.11) COROLLARY.Let A be a noetherian ring and B a finitely generated A-algebra.

Then B is noetherian.

PROOF. Since every finitely generated A-algebra is a quotient of a polynomial ring

A[XI,"', Xn], the Corollary follows from the above theorem and example (2.3.3). .
(2.12) EXERCISES.LetM be an A-module.
(2.12.1) Let B be a subringbf A, so that M is also a B-module. If M is noetherain as a B-module
then M is noetherian as an A-module.
(2.12.2) If M is a noetherian A-module. Show that any surjective A-endomorphismof M is an
isomorphism.
(2.12.3) If M is a noetherian A-module then AjannA(M) is a noetherian ring.
(2.12.4) Let A be a non-noetherian ring and let :F be the set of ideals in A which are not finitely
generated. Show that :F has maximal elements and that the maximal elements of :F are
prime ideals. Therefore deduce that:
(I. S. Cohen) A ring A is noetherian if and only if every prime ideal of A is finitely
generated.
(2.12.5) If A£ is noetherian for every£ E Spec(A) then is A necessarily noetherian ?
(2.12.6) If B is a noetherianfaithfullyflat A-algebra then show that A is noetherian.
(2.12.7) Let B = A[[X]] be the formal power series ring over A. Let P E Spec(B). and p = {J(O)I
f E P}. Showthat p is a prime ideal of A and if p is generated by r elementsthen P can
be generated by r +1. elements. -
Deducethat, if A is noetherian then the formal power series ring B = A[[X1,..., Xn]]in n
variablesover A is also noetherian. (Hint: Use (2.12.4).)