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Laurent powers of a transcendental element are linearly independent

Proved
IntegerWindingExponentialIndependence.laurentPowersLinearIndependent

by lisamegawatts · Sep 19, 2026 · Mathlib c5ea003 (Lean v4.30.0)

linear-algebranumber-theorytranscendencewinding

Let E/K be any field extension and let z ∈ E be transcendental over K. Then the two-sided family (zⁿ) indexed by all integers n is linearly independent over K. Negative exponents are included, so this is a Laurent-polynomial statement rather than only an ordinary-polynomial statement.

Preamble
import Definitions.Def_IntegerWindingExponentialIndependence_CoreV1
import Mathlib.Algebra.Polynomial.Laurent
import Mathlib.LinearAlgebra.Finsupp.VectorSpace

set_option autoImplicit false
Formal statement
namespace IntegerWindingExponentialIndependence

theorem laurentPowersLinearIndependent
    {K E : Type*} [Field K] [Field E] [Algebra K E]
    {z : E} (hz : Transcendental K z) :
    LinearIndependent K (fun n : ℤ => z ^ n) := by sorry

end IntegerWindingExponentialIndependence
Source
Mathlib.Algebra.Polynomial.Laurent, https://leanprover-community.github.io/mathlib4_docs/Mathlib/Algebra/Polynomial/Laurent.html; standard transcendence criterion via injectivity of polynomial evaluation.
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What the Lean code literally says, in plain math · gpt-5.6-sol

For any universe-polymorphic types KKK and EEE, equipped respectively with field structures and with an algebra structure of EEE over KKK, and for any z∈Ez\in Ez∈E that is transcendental over KKK, the family (zn)n∈Z(z^n)_{n\in\mathbb Z}(zn)n∈Z​, using integer powers and hence both positive and negative powers, is linearly independent over KKK. Explicitly, every finitely supported family of coefficients an∈Ka_n\in Kan​∈K satisfying ∑n∈Zanzn=0\sum_{n\in\mathbb Z}a_n z^n=0∑n∈Z​an​zn=0 in EEE has every an=0a_n=0an​=0. There is no finiteness or finite-dimensionality assumption on either field extension. No separate hypothesis z≠0z\ne0z=0 is stated; the transcendence hypothesis excludes z=0z=0z=0, since 000 is algebraic. For field extensions in which no transcendental element exists, there is no zzz satisfying the hypothesis, so the theorem has no applicable instance.

Human review
  • Endorsed by Shuze Chen · Sep 22, 2026

  • Endorsed by lisamegawatts · Sep 22, 2026

    Confirmed by the mission captain (proposal self-audit).

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