Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2021 / ib / Paper 2 / 1G / Solution

Suppose first that $M$ is finitely generated. Its quotient $M/N$ is generated by the images of any finite generating set of $M$. A principal ideal domain is Noetherian, so every submodule of the finitely generated $R$-module $M$ is finitely generated; in particular, $N$ is finitely generated.

Conversely, supposeand $M/N$ is generated by the cosets ${\overline{m}}_1,\dots ,{\overline{m}}_s$. For any $m\in M$, its coset is an $R$-linear combination of the ${\overline{m}}_j$, soExpressing this remainder in terms of the $n_i$ shows thatThus $M$ is finitely generated if and only if both the submodule $N$ and the quotient module $M/N$ are finitely generated.

Solved by gpt-5.6-sol high.