CHENNAI MATHEMATICAL INSTITUTE

Postgraduate Programme in Mathematics

MSc/PhD Entrance Examination
22nd May 2022
Important information and instructions:
(1) Questions in Part A (Questions 1 – 10) will be used for screening. There will be a cut-off for Part
A, which will not be more than 20 marks (out of 40).
(2) Each question in Part A has one or more correct answers. Enter your answers to these questions
into the computer as instructed. Every question is worth 4 marks. A solution will receive credit if and
only if all the correct answers are chosen, and no incorrect answer is chosen.
(3) Your solutions to the questions in Part B (Questions 11– 20∗ ) will be marked only if your score in
Part A places you over the cut-off. (In particular, if your score in Part A is at least 20 then your solutions
to the questions in Part B will be marked.)
(4) Answer 6 questions from Part B, on the pages assigned to them, with sufficient justification. Each
question is worth 10 marks. Clearly indicate which six questions you would like us to mark in the six
boxes on the front sheet. If the boxes are unfilled, we will mark the first six solutions that appear in your
answer-sheet. If you do not want a solution to be considered, clearly strike it out.
(5) The scores in both the sections will be taken into account while making the final decision. You are
advised to spend about 90 minutes on Part B. In order to qualify for the PhD Mathematics interview,
you must obtain at least 15 marks from among the starred questions 17∗ –20∗ .
(6) Time: 3 hours.

Notation: N, Z, Q, R, and C stand, respectively, for the sets of non-negative integers, of integers, of
rational numbers, of real numbers, and of complex numbers. For a field 𝐹 and a positive integer 𝑛,
GL(𝑛, 𝐹 ) stands for the set of invertible 𝑛 × 𝑛 matrices over 𝐹 . 𝐼𝑛 denotes the 𝑛 × 𝑛 identity matrix;
the field will be clear from context. When considered as topological spaces, R𝑛 or C are taken with the
euclidean topology.

Part A
(1) By a simple group, we mean a group 𝐺 in which the only normal subgroups are {1𝐺 } and 𝐺. Pick
the correct statement(s) from below.
(A) No group of order 625 is simple.
(B) GL(2, R) is simple.
(C) Let 𝐺 be a simple group of order 60. Then 𝐺 has exactly six subgroups of order 5.
(D) Let 𝐺 be a group of order 60. Then 𝐺 has exactly seven subgroups∫ ∞ of order 3.
(2) Let 𝑓 : R −→ (0, ∞) be an infinitely differentiable function with −∞ 𝑓 (𝑡)𝑑𝑡 = 1. Pick the correct
statement(s) from below.
(A) 𝑓 (𝑡) is bounded.
(B) lim |𝑡 |−→∞ 𝑓 0 (𝑡) = 0.
(C) There exists 𝑡 0 ∈ R such that 𝑓 (𝑡 0 ) ≥ 𝑓 (𝑡) for all 𝑡 ∈ R.
(D) 𝑓 00 (𝑎) = 0 for some 𝑎 ∈ R.
(3) Let P𝑛 = {𝑓 (𝑥) ∈ R[𝑥] | deg 𝑓 (𝑥) ≤ 𝑛}, considered as an (𝑛 + 1)-dimensional real vector space.
d𝑓
Let 𝑇 be the linear operator 𝑓 ↦→ 𝑓 + d𝑥 on P𝑛 . Pick the correct statement(s) from below.
(A) 𝑇 is invertible.
(B) 𝑇 is diagonalizable.
(C) 𝑇 is nilpotent.
(D) (𝑇 − 𝐼 ) 2 = (𝑇 − 𝐼 ) where 𝐼 is the identity map.
(4) Pick the correct statement(s) from below.
(A) There exists a finite commutative ring 𝑅 of cardinality 100 such that 𝑟 2 = 𝑟 for all 𝑟 ∈ 𝑅.
(B) There is a field 𝐾 such that the additive group (𝐾, +) is isomorphic to the multiplicative
group (𝐾 ×, ·).
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 (C) An irreducible polynomial in Q[𝑥] is irreducible in Z[𝑥].
(D) A monic polynomial of degree 𝑛 over a commutative ring 𝑅 has at most 𝑛 roots in 𝑅.
(5) Pick the correct statement(s) from below.
(A) if 𝑓 is continuous and bounded on (0, 1), then 𝑓 is uniformly continuous on (0, 1).
(B) If 𝑓 is uniformly continuous on (0, 1), then 𝑓 is bounded on (0, 1).
(C) If 𝑓 is continuous on (0, 1) and lim𝑥−→0+ 𝑓 (𝑥) and lim𝑥−→1− 𝑓 (𝑥) exists, then 𝑓 is uniformly
continuous on (0, 1).
(D) Product of a continuous and a uniformly continuous function on [0, 1] is uniformly contin-
uous.
(6) Let 𝑋 be the metric space of real-valued continuous functions on the interval [0, 1] with the
“supremum distance”:
𝑑 (𝑓 , 𝑔) = sup{|𝑓 (𝑥) − 𝑔(𝑥)| : 𝑥 ∈ [0, 1]} for all 𝑓 , 𝑔 ∈ 𝑋 .
Let 𝑌 = {𝑓 ∈ 𝑋 : 𝑓 ( [0, 1]) ⊂ [0, 1]} and 𝑍 = {𝑓 ∈ 𝑋 : 𝑓 ( [0, 1]) ⊂ [0, 21 ) ∪ ( 21 , 1]}. Pick the
correct statement(s) from below.
(A) 𝑌 is compact.
(B) 𝑋 and 𝑌 are connected.
(C) 𝑍 is not compact.
(D) 𝑍 is path-connected.
(7) Let 𝑋 := {(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧) ∈ R3 | 𝑧 ≤ 0, or 𝑥, 𝑦 ∈ Q} with subspace topology. Pick the correct
statement(s) from below.
(A) 𝑋 is not locally connected but path connected.
(B) There exists a surjective continuous function 𝑋 −→ Q ≥0 (the set of non-negative rational
numbers, with the subspace topology of R).
(C) Let 𝑆 be the set of all points 𝑝 ∈ 𝑋 having a compact neighbourhood (i.e. there exists a
compact 𝐾 ⊂ 𝑋 containing 𝑝 in its interior). Then 𝑆 is open.
(D) The closed and bounded subsets of 𝑋 are compact.
(8) Consider the complex polynomial 𝑃 (𝑥) = 𝑥 6 + 𝑖𝑥 4 + 1. (Here 𝑖 denotes a square-root of −1.) Pick
the correct statement(s) from below.
(A) 𝑃 has at least one real zero.
(B) P has no real zeros.
(C) 𝑃 has at least three zeros of the form 𝛼 + 𝑖𝛽 with 𝛽 < 0.
(D) 𝑃 has exactly three zeros 𝛼 + 𝑖𝛽 with 𝛽 > 0.
(9) Let 𝑣 a (fixed) unit vector in R3 . (We think of elements of R𝑛 as column vectors.) Let 𝑀 = 𝐼 3 −2𝑣𝑣 𝑡 .
Pick the correct statement(s) from below.
(A) 0 is an eigenvalue of 𝑀.
(B) 𝑀 2 = 𝐼 3 .
(C) 1 is an eigenvalue of 𝑀.
(D) The eigenspace
Í for the eigenvalue −1 is 2-dimensional.
(10) Let 𝑓 (𝑧) = Í 𝑛 ≥0 𝑛 𝑧 be an analytic function on the open unit disc 𝐷 around 0 with 𝑎 1 ≠ 0.
𝑎 𝑛

Suppose that 𝑛 ≥2 |𝑛𝑎𝑛 | < |𝑎 1 |. Then which of the following are true?
(A) There are only finitely many such 𝑓 .
(B) |𝑓 0 (𝑧)| > 0 for all 𝑧 ∈ 𝐷. Í
(C) If 𝑧, 𝑤 ∈ 𝐷 are such that 𝑧 ≠ 𝑤 and 𝑓 (𝑧) = 𝑓 (𝑤), then 𝑎 1 = − 𝑛 ≥2 𝑎𝑛 (𝑧𝑛−1 + 𝑧𝑛−2𝑤 + · · · +
𝑤 𝑛−1 ).
(D) 𝑓 is one-one on 𝐷.

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 Part B
(11) Let 𝐴 ∈ GL(3, Q) with 𝐴𝑡 𝐴 = 𝐼 3 . Assume that
1 1
 
𝐴 1 = 𝜆 1
 
1 1
 
for some 𝜆 ∈ C.
(A) Determine the possible values of 𝜆.
(B) Determine 𝑥 + 𝑦 + 𝑧 where 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 is given by
𝑥  1
   
𝑦  = 𝐴 −1
   
𝑧  0
   
(12) Consider the function 𝑆 (𝑎) defined by the limit below:
1𝑎 + 2𝑎 + 3𝑎 + · · · + 𝑛𝑎
𝑆 (𝑎) := lim .
𝑛−→∞ (𝑛 + 1) 𝑎−1 [(𝑛𝑎 + 1) + (𝑛𝑎 + 2) + · · · + (𝑛𝑎 + 𝑛)]

Find the sum of all values 𝑎 such that 𝑆 (𝑎) = 601 .

(13) Let 𝑈 and 𝑉 be non-empty open connected subsets of C and 𝑓 : 𝑈 −→ 𝑉 an analytic function.
Suppose that for all compact subsets 𝐾 of 𝑉 , 𝑓 −1 (𝐾) is compact. Show that 𝑓 (𝑈 ) = 𝑉 .
(14) Let 𝐺 be a finite group that has a non-trivial subgroup 𝑁 (i.e. {1𝐺 } ≠ 𝑁 ≠ 𝐺) that is contained
in every non-trivial subgroup of 𝐺. Show that
(A) 𝐺 is a 𝑝-group for some prime number 𝑝;
(B) 𝑁 is a normal subgroup of 𝐺.
(15) Let 𝑓 be an entire function such that 𝑓 maps the open unit ball 𝐷 around 0 to itself. Suppose
further that 𝑓 (0) = 0 and 𝑓 (1) = 1. Show that 𝑓 0 (1) ∈ R and that |𝑓 0 (1)| ≥ 1.
(16) Let 𝐹 be a field such that it has a finite non-Galois extension field. Let 𝑉 be a finite-dimensional
vector-space overÐ 𝐹 . Let 𝑉1, . . . , 𝑉𝑟 be proper subspaces of 𝑉 . Prove or disprove the following
assertion: 𝑉 ≠ 𝑟𝑖=1 𝑉𝑖 .

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(17∗ ) For a ring homomorphism 𝑅 −→ 𝑆 (of commutative rings) and an ideal 𝐼 of 𝑅, the fibre over
𝐼 is the ring 𝑆/𝐼𝑆, i.e., the quotient of 𝑆 by the 𝑆-ideal generated by the image of 𝐼 in 𝑆. Let
𝑆 = C[𝑋, 𝑌 ]/(𝑋𝑌 − 1) and 𝑅 = C[𝑥 + 𝛼𝑦] where 𝛼 ∈ C and 𝑥, 𝑦 are the images of 𝑋, 𝑌 in 𝑆.
Consider the ring homomorphism 𝑅 ⊆ 𝑆. Let 𝐼 = (𝑥 + 𝛼𝑦 − 𝛽)𝑅, where 𝛽 ∈ C. For each non-
negative integer 𝑛, determine the set of (𝛼, 𝛽) such that the fibre over 𝐼 has exactly 𝑛 maximal
ideals.
(18∗ ) Let 𝑄 be the space of infinite sequences
x := (𝑥 1, 𝑥 2, . . . , 𝑥𝑛 , . . . )
of real numbers 𝑥𝑛 ∈ [0, 1], with the product topology coming from the identification 𝑄 =
[0, 1] N . ([0, 1] has the euclidean topology.) Let 𝑆 : 𝑄 −→ R be the map
∑︁ 𝑥𝑛
𝑆 (x) := .
𝑛
𝑛2
(A) Let 𝑄 2 := {(𝑦1, 𝑦2, . . . , 𝑦𝑛 , . . . ) | 0 ≤ 𝑦𝑛 ≤ 𝑛1 }. Show that 𝑄 2 is compact.
(B) Let 𝐷 : 𝑄 2 −→ 𝑄 be the map
(𝑦1, 𝑦2, . . . , 𝑦𝑛 , . . . ) ↦→ (𝑦1, 2𝑦2, . . . , 𝑛𝑦𝑛 , . . . ).
Show that 𝐷 is a homeomorphism. (Hint: first show that 𝑄 is Hausdorff.)
(C) Show that 𝑆 ◦𝐷 : 𝑄 2 −→ R is continuous. (Hint: Show that there is a suitable inner-product
space (𝐿, h−, −i) and a vector a ∈ 𝐿 such that (𝑆 ◦ 𝐷) (x) = hx, ai for each x ∈ 𝑄 2 .)
(D) Show that 𝑆 is continuous.
(19∗ ) Let 𝐸 be a finite extension of the field Q. We say that a homomorphism of fields 𝜙 : 𝐸 −→ C is
real if 𝜙 (𝐸) ⊂ R. Prove or disprove each of the following assertions:
(A) For each prime number 𝑝, the field Q(𝑝 1/12 ) has exactly one real embedding in C. (𝑝 1/12 is
the unique real number 𝑟 > 0 such that 𝑟 12 = 𝑝.)
(B) If [𝐸 : Q] = 11, there exists a real embedding of 𝐸.
(C) If 𝐸 is a Galois extension of Q and [𝐸 : Q] = 11, then every embedding 𝐸 −→ C is a real
embedding.
(20∗ ) A continuous map 𝑓 : 𝐴 −→ 𝐵 between two metric space (𝐴, 𝑑𝐴 ), (𝐵, 𝑑𝐵 ) is said to be a bilip-
schitz map if there exists a real number 𝜆 > 0 such that (1/𝜆)𝑑𝐴 (𝑎 0, 𝑎 1 ) ≤ 𝑑𝐵 (𝑓 (𝑎 0 ), 𝑓 (𝑎 1 )) ≤
𝜆𝑑𝐴 (𝑎 0, 𝑎 1 ) for each 𝑎 0, 𝑎 1 ∈ 𝐴.
Let 𝑋 = R2 \ {0} and 𝑌 = S1 × R = {(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧) ∈ R3 | 𝑥 2 +𝑦 2 = 1}. Let 𝑑𝑋 (respectively, 𝑑𝑌 ) be the
euclidean metric on 𝑋 induced from R2 (respectively, on 𝑌 induced from R3 ). Let 𝑓 : 𝑋 −→ 𝑌 be
a bilipschitz map.
(A) Let 𝑅 > 0 and 𝐶𝑅 ⊆ 𝑋 the circle of radius 𝑅 with centre at 0. Let 𝑓¯ : 𝑋 −→ R be the
composite of 𝑓 and the projection from 𝑌 = S1 × R to its second factor R. Let 𝐿𝑅 be the
length of the interval 𝑓¯(𝐶𝑅 ) ⊆ R. Let 𝑎, 𝑏 ∈ 𝑋 be such that 𝑓¯(𝑏) = 𝑓¯(𝑎) + 𝐿𝑅 . Show that
𝑑𝑋 (𝑎, 𝑏) ≥ (2𝑅 − 2𝜆)/𝜆 2 .
(B) Let 𝐶 1 and 𝐶 2 be the two arcs of 𝐶𝑅 , joining 𝑎 and 𝑏. Show that there exists 𝑥 1 ∈ 𝐶 1 and
𝑓 (𝑎)+𝑓 (𝑏)
𝑥 2 ∈ 𝐶 2 such that 𝑓¯(𝑥 1 ) = 𝑓¯(𝑥 2 ) = 2 . Show that 𝑑𝑌 (𝑓 (𝑥 1 ), 𝑓 (𝑥 2 )) ≤ 2.
(C) Show that for all sufficiently large 𝑅, 𝑑𝑌 (𝑓 (𝑥 1 ), 𝑓 (𝑥 2 )) > 2. (Hint: Let 𝑎𝑖 ∈ 𝐶𝑖 be such that
𝑑𝑋 (𝑎, 𝑎𝑖 ) = 𝑅/𝜆 2 ; show that 𝑑𝑋 (𝑥 1, 𝑥 2 ) ≥ 𝑑𝑋 (𝑎 1, 𝑎 2 ).)
(D) What is your conclusion about 𝑓 ?