Are all algebraic integers with absolute value 1

Caroline Carey

Caroline Carey

Answered question

2022-03-18

Are all algebraic integers with absolute value 1 roots of unity?
If we have an algebraic number α with (complex) absolute value 1, it does not follow that α is a root of unity (i.e., that αn=1 for some n). For example, (35+45i) is not a root of unity.But if we assume that α is an algebraic integer with absolute value 1, does it follow that α is a root of unity?

Answer & Explanation

blindhaedzgs

blindhaedzgs

Beginner2022-03-19Added 2 answers

Step 1
Let me first mention an example in Character Theory. Let G be a finite group of order n and assume ρ is a representation with character χ=χρ which is defined by χ(g)=Tr(ρ(g)). Since G is a finite group then, by invoking facts from linear algebra, one can show χ(g)Z[ζn]. For abelian groups, it is easy to see χ(g) is a root of unity, when χ is irreducible, but what about non-abelian groups? In other words let |χ(g)|=1, what can we say about χ(g)?
This relates to your question. Let assume KQ be an abelian Galois extension inside C, and take an algebraic integer αOK such that |α|=1, then for any σGal(KQ) we have
|σ(α)|2=σ(α)σ(α)
Since KQ is abelian then
σ(α)=σ(α) so
|σ(α)|2=σ(|α|)=1
Then norm of all its conjugate is one so it must be a root of unity. This answer to the question was posed, therefore if |χ(g)|=1 then χ(g) is root of unity.
Quentin Olsen

Quentin Olsen

Beginner2022-03-20Added 5 answers

Step 1
Let x be an algebraic number with absolute value 1. Then x and its complex conjugate x=1x have the same minimal polynomial.
Writing f(T) for the minimal polynomial of x over Q, with degree n, the polynomials Tnf(1T) and f(T) are irreducible over Q with root x, so the polynomials are equal up to a scaling factor:
Tnf(1T)=cf(T).
Setting T=1, f(1)=cf(1)
Assuming x is not rational (i.e., x is not 1 or -1), f has degree greater than 1, so f(1) is nonzero and thus c=1. Therefore
Tnf(1T)=f(T),
so f(T) has symmetric coefficients. In particular, its constant term is 1. Moreover, the roots of f(T) come in reciprocal pairs (since 1 and -1 are not roots), so n is even.
Partial conclusion: an algebraic number other than 1 or -1 which has absolute value 1 has even degree over Q and its minimal polynomial has constant term 1. In particular, if x is an algebraic integer then it must be a unit.
There are no examples of algebraic integers with degree 2 and absolute value 1 that are not roots of unity, since a real quadratic field has no elements on the unit circle besides 1 and -1 and the units in an imaginary quadratic field are all roots of unity (and actually are only 1 and -1 except for Q(i) and Q(ω)). Thus the smallest degree x could have over q is 4 and there are examples with degree 4: the polynomial
x42x32x+1
has two roots on the unit circle and two real roots (one between 0 and 1 and the other greater than 1).

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