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| | Math Forum - Ask Dr. Math |
 | | In this case, the extensions are: Q < Q(sqrt(6)) < Q(sqrt(1+sqrt(6))) Q < Q(sqrt(6)) < Q(sqrt(1-sqrt(6))) and the latter two extensions are not the same, since the first one is real and the second one is not (in this case, the Galois group is D4, the dihedral group of order 8). |
 | | This shows that all the extensions in the chain [2] are of degree 1 or 2, and therefore the degree of splitting field is a power of 2. |
 | | For the purpose of computing Galois groups, however, this is irrelevant--all operations take place in the splitting field of f, and we are not restricted to the real part of it. |
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