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daveyp225
Aug6-11, 04:16 AM
In an integral domain, I found that the number of maximal ideals in a Notherian ring containing a particular element is finite. If the condition is dropped that the ring be Notherian, can anything like this be said?

Hurkyl
Aug6-11, 04:58 AM
If k is a field, then the polynomial ring k[x,y] is a Noetherian integral domain. (regular too) However, the element x is contained in infinitely many maximal ideals; for example:
(x, y)
(x, y-1)
(x, y-2)
More generally, a maximal ideal of this ring contains x if and only if it is of the form (x, f(y)) for some non-constant polynomial f that is irreducible over k.

daveyp225
Aug6-11, 05:07 AM
Ah, yes. I misstepped then. Thanks!