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Hilbert's basis theorem

Classical affine algebraic varieties appear as sets of zeros of a set S={P ααA} of polynomials in affine n-dimensional space 𝔸 k n over a field k. The coordinate algebra of 𝔸 k n is the algebra of polynomials in n variables, k[x 1,,x n], and the coordinate algebra of an affine algebraic variety is Rk[x 1,,x n]/I where IS is the ideal generated by S.

The Hilbert basis theorem asserts that this ideal I is finitely generated; and consequently R is a noetherian ring. For a proof see standard textbooks on commutative algebra or algebraic geometry (e.g. Atiyah, MacDonald); there is also a proof on wikipedia.

More generally, a finitely generated commutative algebra over a commutative noetherian ring R is noetherian. For the case of R a field, this is the case in the previous paragraphs.

Revised on October 17, 2009 13:55:57 by Akhil Mathew (173.63.208.80)