DOCSLIB.ORG

A Review of Commutative Ring Theory Mathematics Undergraduate Seminar: Toric Varieties

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
A Review of Commutative Ring Theory Mathematics Undergraduate Seminar: Toric Varieties A REVIEW OF COMMUTATIVE RING THEORY MATHEMATICS UNDERGRADUATE SEMINAR: TORIC VARIETIES ADRIANO FERNANDES Contents 1. Basic Definitions and Examples 1 2. Ideals and Quotient Rings 3 3. Properties and Types of Ideals 5 4. C-algebras 7 References 7 1. Basic Definitions and Examples In this first section, I define a ring and give some relevant examples of rings we have encountered before (and might have not thought of as abstract algebraic structures.) I will not cover many of the intermediate structures arising between rings and fields (e.g. integral domains, unique factorization domains, etc.) The interested reader is referred to Dummit and Foote. Definition 1.1 (Rings). The algebraic structure “ring” R is a set with two binary opera- tions + and , respectively named addition and multiplication, satisfying · (R, +) is an abelian group (i.e. a group with commutative addition), • is associative (i.e. a, b, c R, (a b) c = a (b c)) , • and the distributive8 law holds2 (i.e.· a,· b, c ·R, (·a + b) c = a c + b c, a (b + c)= • a b + a c.) 8 2 · · · · · · Moreover, the ring is commutative if multiplication is commutative. The ring has an identity, conventionally denoted 1, if there exists an element 1 R s.t. a R, 1 a = a 1=a. 2 8 2 · ·From now on, all rings considered will be commutative rings (after all, this is a review of commutative ring theory...) Since we will be talking substantially about the complex field C, let us recall the definition of such structure. Definition 1.2 (Fields). A commutative ring in which every nonzero element has a mul- tiplicative inverse is called a field, i.e. if a R there exists b Rs.t.a b = 1. 8 2 2 · Date:02/10/2016. 1 2ADRIANOFERNANDES It is trivial to see that the integers form a ring, that integers in modular arithmetic form a ring, and that functions spaces (with point-wise addition and multiplication) are rings. The rational, real and complex numbers are fields. The concept of subsets of a set gives rise to a natural extension to a subring of a ring. Definition 1.3 (Subring). A subring S of a ring R is any subset of R in which the operations of addition and multiplication defined in R make S a ring when restricted to S. Hence, a subring is a ring in itself sitting inside another ring. Transitivity is trivial by the definition. Example 1.4. Z 2Z 4Z 2nZ , for n Z,n>2. This example also shows we can have⊃ an infinite⊃ chain⊃ ··· of⊃ subrings⊃ ··· inside a ring.2 The rings we will be mostly interested in for this seminar will be Polynomial Rings. Definition 1.5 (Polynomial Rings). Fix a commutative ring R with identity. Let x be an indeterminate. The polynomial ring R[x] (read R adjoined x) is the set of all formal n i sums of the form i=0 aix for some n 0 and each ai R. The formal sum is called a polynomial in x with coefficients in the ring≥ R. 2 P If an = 0, then the polynomial is said to have degree n. The polynomial is monic if the coe6 fficient of the largest power is the multiplicative unit. Addition and multi- n i plication are defined component-wise in polynomial rings. Let p(x)= i=0 aix and n i n i q(x)= bix be two polynomials. Then, p(x) q(x):= (ai+bi)x and p(x)+q(x):= i=0 · i=0 P n [ k (a b )]xk. k=0 Pi=0 i k i P The ring over− which the polynomials are formed make a substantial di↵erence, as the followingP P example shows. Example 1.6. Consider p(x)=x+1. If p(x) Z[x], 2p(x)=2x+2 and p(x)2 = x2+2x+1. 2 If p(x) Z/2Z[x], 2p(x) = 0, and p(x)2 = x2 + 1. 2 Before proving some essential facts about polynomial rings, we need some more defini- tions. Definition 1.7 (Integral Domain). An integral domain is any commutative ring R with identity in which there are no zero divisors, i.e. a, b R, a, b =0,ab= 0. 8 2 6 6 Definition 1.8 (Units of a Ring). An element a R is called a unit of the ring if there exists an element b R such that ab = 1. The units2 of a ring form a ring in itself, called 2 the Ring of Units, denoted R⇥ Now we are ready to state an prove some key facts about polynomial rings. Proposition 1.9. Let R be an integral domain, and let p(x),q(x) =0,p(x),q(x) R[x]. Then, 6 2 (1) deg(pq)=deg(p)+deg(q) (2) The units of R and R[x] are the same (3) R[x] is an integral domain. AREVIEWOFCOMMUTATIVERINGTHEORYMATHEMATICSUNDERGRADUATESEMINAR:TORICVARIETIES3 n m m Proof. If p(x) and q(x) have leading terms anx and b x respectively, the leading term n+m of pq(x)isanbmx .SinceR has no zero divisors, anbm = 0. Hence the (3) and (1) hold. For (2), suppose pq(x)=1 deg(p)+deg(q)=0 deg(6p)=deg(q) = 0, hence both p, q ) ) are elements of R and thus are units in R. ⇤ One can establish operation-preserving mappings between rings. We now focus on such mappings. Definition 1.10 (Ring Homomorphism). Let R and S be rings. (1) A ring homomorphism is a map φ : R S satisfying φ(a + b)=φ(a)+φ(b) and φ(ab)=φ(a)φ(b), a, b R 7! (2) The kernel of a ring8 homomorphism2 φ is the set of elements in R mapping to the addition identity of S,i.e.kerφ = r R φ(r)=0S (3) A ring isomorphism is a bijective ring{ 2 homomorphism.| } Example 1.11. Let φn : C[x] Cbedefinedasφ(p(x)) = p(0). This maps a polynomial to its constant term. Since addition7! and multiplication of the constant terms are clearly preserved under this mapping, this is a ring homomorphism. The kernel is the set of all polynomials with constant term 0 in the complex field. Proposition 1.12. Let φ : R S be a ring homomorphism. Then, 7! (1) The image of φ is a subring of S; (2) kerφ is a subring of R and is closed under multiplication by elements of R. Proof. For (1), if s ,s imφ s = φ(r ) ,s = φ(r ) for some r ,r R.Sinceφ is a 1 2 2 ) 1 1 2 2 1 2 2 homomorphism, s1 s2 = φ(r1 r2) and s1s2 = φ(r1r2), so s1 s2 ,s1s2 S. For (2), if a, b kerφ φ(−a)=φ(b)=0− φ(ab)=φ(a b) = 0, so the− kernel is2 closed under subtraction2 and) multiplication. Now,) for any r −R, φ(ra)=φ(r)φ(a)=φ(r)0 = 0 = 0φ(r)=φ(a)φ(r)=φ(ar), so indeed the kernel is2 closed under multiplication by elements of R. ⇤ Kernels are examples of structures appearing more generally in rings, so called ideals. We now focus on these structures. 2. Ideals and Quotient Rings Definition 2.1 (Ideals). Let R be a ring, r R and I R. I is an ideal of R if I is a subring of R that is closed under multiplication2 by the elements⇢ of R,i.e.ifa I,then ra, ar I; one writes rI I r R. 2 2 ⇢ 8 2 It turns out that there is a vital connection between ideals and ring homomorphisms. Ideals are kernels for some ring homomorphism of the ring in which they sit in. The cosets of any element of R,sayr+I, r R, I an ideal in R form a ring in itself if we appropriately define addition and multiplication2 of cosets for the set of cosets. Ideals are in fact what we 4ADRIANOFERNANDES require for those operations as we here present to make the set of cosets into a ring. We define addition and multiplication for cosets of elements of R by an ideal I as follows: (r + I)+(s + I)=r + s + I (r + I)(s + I)=rs + I It is trivial to show that the distributive law holds whence operations are defined as above. Let r, s, t R and I an ideal in R.Then 2 (r + I)[(s + I)+(t + I)] = (r + I)[s + t + I] = r(s + t)+I =(rs + rt)+I =(rs + I)+(rt + I)=(r + I)(s + I)+(r + I)(t + I) So it seems that we can indeed form a ring by considering the cosets of elements of a ring by the ideals of a ring. The discussion above proved the following Proposition 2.2. Let R be a ring and I an ideal. If addition and multiplication are defined as above, the set of cosets of elements of R by the ideal I form a ring. Conversely, any subgroup I of R in which the above operations are well-defined form an ideal of R. I skip the proof of the converse direction for succinctness. Definition 2.3 (Quotient Rings). Let R be a ring and I be an ideal of it. The ring R/I with operations defined above form the quotient ring of R, whose elements of the form r + I for r R. 2 The following theorem summarizes the present discussion: Theorem 2.4 (The First Ring Isomorphism Theorem).
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Exercises and Solutions in Groups Rings and Fields
    EXERCISES AND SOLUTIONS IN GROUPS RINGS AND FIELDS Mahmut Kuzucuo˘glu Middle East Technical University [email protected] Ankara, TURKEY April 18, 2012 ii iii TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTERS 0. PREFACE . v 1. SETS, INTEGERS, FUNCTIONS . 1 2. GROUPS . 4 3. RINGS . .55 4. FIELDS . 77 5. INDEX . 100 iv v Preface These notes are prepared in 1991 when we gave the abstract al- gebra course. Our intention was to help the students by giving them some exercises and get them familiar with some solutions. Some of the solutions here are very short and in the form of a hint. I would like to thank B¨ulent B¨uy¨ukbozkırlı for his help during the preparation of these notes. I would like to thank also Prof. Ismail_ S¸. G¨ulo˘glufor checking some of the solutions. Of course the remaining errors belongs to me. If you find any errors, I should be grateful to hear from you. Finally I would like to thank Aynur Bora and G¨uldaneG¨um¨u¸sfor their typing the manuscript in LATEX. Mahmut Kuzucuo˘glu I would like to thank our graduate students Tu˘gbaAslan, B¨u¸sra C¸ınar, Fuat Erdem and Irfan_ Kadık¨oyl¨ufor reading the old version and pointing out some misprints. With their encouragement I have made the changes in the shape, namely I put the answers right after the questions. 20, December 2011 vi M. Kuzucuo˘glu 1. SETS, INTEGERS, FUNCTIONS 1.1. If A is a finite set having n elements, prove that A has exactly 2n distinct subsets.
    [Show full text]
  • The Structure Theory of Complete Local Rings
    The structure theory of complete local rings Introduction In the study of commutative Noetherian rings, localization at a prime followed by com- pletion at the resulting maximal ideal is a way of life. Many problems, even some that seem \global," can be attacked by first reducing to the local case and then to the complete case. Complete local rings turn out to have extremely good behavior in many respects. A key ingredient in this type of reduction is that when R is local, Rb is local and faithfully flat over R. We shall study the structure of complete local rings. A complete local ring that contains a field always contains a field that maps onto its residue class field: thus, if (R; m; K) contains a field, it contains a field K0 such that the composite map K0 ⊆ R R=m = K is an isomorphism. Then R = K0 ⊕K0 m, and we may identify K with K0. Such a field K0 is called a coefficient field for R. The choice of a coefficient field K0 is not unique in general, although in positive prime characteristic p it is unique if K is perfect, which is a bit surprising. The existence of a coefficient field is a rather hard theorem. Once it is known, one can show that every complete local ring that contains a field is a homomorphic image of a formal power series ring over a field. It is also a module-finite extension of a formal power series ring over a field. This situation is analogous to what is true for finitely generated algebras over a field, where one can make the same statements using polynomial rings instead of formal power series rings.
    [Show full text]
  • Formal Power Series - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
    Formal power series - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formal_power_series Formal power series From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia In mathematics, formal power series are a generalization of polynomials as formal objects, where the number of terms is allowed to be infinite; this implies giving up the possibility to substitute arbitrary values for indeterminates. This perspective contrasts with that of power series, whose variables designate numerical values, and which series therefore only have a definite value if convergence can be established. Formal power series are often used merely to represent the whole collection of their coefficients. In combinatorics, they provide representations of numerical sequences and of multisets, and for instance allow giving concise expressions for recursively defined sequences regardless of whether the recursion can be explicitly solved; this is known as the method of generating functions. Contents 1 Introduction 2 The ring of formal power series 2.1 Definition of the formal power series ring 2.1.1 Ring structure 2.1.2 Topological structure 2.1.3 Alternative topologies 2.2 Universal property 3 Operations on formal power series 3.1 Multiplying series 3.2 Power series raised to powers 3.3 Inverting series 3.4 Dividing series 3.5 Extracting coefficients 3.6 Composition of series 3.6.1 Example 3.7 Composition inverse 3.8 Formal differentiation of series 4 Properties 4.1 Algebraic properties of the formal power series ring 4.2 Topological properties of the formal power series
    [Show full text]
  • SOME ALGEBRAIC DEFINITIONS and CONSTRUCTIONS Definition
    SOME ALGEBRAIC DEFINITIONS AND CONSTRUCTIONS Definition 1. A monoid is a set M with an element e and an associative multipli- cation M M M for which e is a two-sided identity element: em = m = me for all m M×. A−→group is a monoid in which each element m has an inverse element m−1, so∈ that mm−1 = e = m−1m. A homomorphism f : M N of monoids is a function f such that f(mn) = −→ f(m)f(n) and f(eM )= eN . A “homomorphism” of any kind of algebraic structure is a function that preserves all of the structure that goes into the definition. When M is commutative, mn = nm for all m,n M, we often write the product as +, the identity element as 0, and the inverse of∈m as m. As a convention, it is convenient to say that a commutative monoid is “Abelian”− when we choose to think of its product as “addition”, but to use the word “commutative” when we choose to think of its product as “multiplication”; in the latter case, we write the identity element as 1. Definition 2. The Grothendieck construction on an Abelian monoid is an Abelian group G(M) together with a homomorphism of Abelian monoids i : M G(M) such that, for any Abelian group A and homomorphism of Abelian monoids−→ f : M A, there exists a unique homomorphism of Abelian groups f˜ : G(M) A −→ −→ such that f˜ i = f. ◦ We construct G(M) explicitly by taking equivalence classes of ordered pairs (m,n) of elements of M, thought of as “m n”, under the equivalence relation generated by (m,n) (m′,n′) if m + n′ = −n + m′.
    [Show full text]
  • Factorization Theory in Commutative Monoids 11
    FACTORIZATION THEORY IN COMMUTATIVE MONOIDS ALFRED GEROLDINGER AND QINGHAI ZHONG Abstract. This is a survey on factorization theory. We discuss finitely generated monoids (including affine monoids), primary monoids (including numerical monoids), power sets with set addition, Krull monoids and their various generalizations, and the multiplicative monoids of domains (including Krull domains, rings of integer-valued polynomials, orders in algebraic number fields) and of their ideals. We offer examples for all these classes of monoids and discuss their main arithmetical finiteness properties. These describe the structure of their sets of lengths, of the unions of sets of lengths, and their catenary degrees. We also provide examples where these finiteness properties do not hold. 1. Introduction Factorization theory emerged from algebraic number theory. The ring of integers of an algebraic number field is factorial if and only if it has class number one, and the class group was always considered as a measure for the non-uniqueness of factorizations. Factorization theory has turned this idea into concrete results. In 1960 Carlitz proved (and this is a starting point of the area) that the ring of integers is half-factorial (i.e., all sets of lengths are singletons) if and only if the class number is at most two. In the 1960s Narkiewicz started a systematic study of counting functions associated with arithmetical properties in rings of integers. Starting in the late 1980s, theoretical properties of factorizations were studied in commutative semigroups and in commutative integral domains, with a focus on Noetherian and Krull domains (see [40, 45, 62]; [3] is the first in a series of papers by Anderson, Anderson, Zafrullah, and [1] is a conference volume from the 1990s).
    [Show full text]
  • Ring Homomorphisms Definition
    4-8-2018 Ring Homomorphisms Definition. Let R and S be rings. A ring homomorphism (or a ring map for short) is a function f : R → S such that: (a) For all x,y ∈ R, f(x + y)= f(x)+ f(y). (b) For all x,y ∈ R, f(xy)= f(x)f(y). Usually, we require that if R and S are rings with 1, then (c) f(1R) = 1S. This is automatic in some cases; if there is any question, you should read carefully to find out what convention is being used. The first two properties stipulate that f should “preserve” the ring structure — addition and multipli- cation. Example. (A ring map on the integers mod 2) Show that the following function f : Z2 → Z2 is a ring map: f(x)= x2. First, f(x + y)=(x + y)2 = x2 + 2xy + y2 = x2 + y2 = f(x)+ f(y). 2xy = 0 because 2 times anything is 0 in Z2. Next, f(xy)=(xy)2 = x2y2 = f(x)f(y). The second equality follows from the fact that Z2 is commutative. Note also that f(1) = 12 = 1. Thus, f is a ring homomorphism. Example. (An additive function which is not a ring map) Show that the following function g : Z → Z is not a ring map: g(x) = 2x. Note that g(x + y)=2(x + y) = 2x + 2y = g(x)+ g(y). Therefore, g is additive — that is, g is a homomorphism of abelian groups. But g(1 · 3) = g(3) = 2 · 3 = 6, while g(1)g(3) = (2 · 1)(2 · 3) = 12.
    [Show full text]
  • Algebraic Number Theory
    Algebraic Number Theory William B. Hart Warwick Mathematics Institute Abstract. We give a short introduction to algebraic number theory. Algebraic number theory is the study of extension fields Q(α1; α2; : : : ; αn) of the rational numbers, known as algebraic number fields (sometimes number fields for short), in which each of the adjoined complex numbers αi is algebraic, i.e. the root of a polynomial with rational coefficients. Throughout this set of notes we use the notation Z[α1; α2; : : : ; αn] to denote the ring generated by the values αi. It is the smallest ring containing the integers Z and each of the αi. It can be described as the ring of all polynomial expressions in the αi with integer coefficients, i.e. the ring of all expressions built up from elements of Z and the complex numbers αi by finitely many applications of the arithmetic operations of addition and multiplication. The notation Q(α1; α2; : : : ; αn) denotes the field of all quotients of elements of Z[α1; α2; : : : ; αn] with nonzero denominator, i.e. the field of rational functions in the αi, with rational coefficients. It is the smallest field containing the rational numbers Q and all of the αi. It can be thought of as the field of all expressions built up from elements of Z and the numbers αi by finitely many applications of the arithmetic operations of addition, multiplication and division (excepting of course, divide by zero). 1 Algebraic numbers and integers A number α 2 C is called algebraic if it is the root of a monic polynomial n n−1 n−2 f(x) = x + an−1x + an−2x + ::: + a1x + a0 = 0 with rational coefficients ai.
    [Show full text]
  • Algebraic Structures Lecture 18 Thursday, April 4, 2019 1 Type
    Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences — CS 152: Programming Languages Algebraic structures Lecture 18 Thursday, April 4, 2019 In abstract algebra, algebraic structures are defined by a set of elements and operations on those ele- ments that satisfy certain laws. Some of these algebraic structures have interesting and useful computa- tional interpretations. In this lecture we will consider several algebraic structures (monoids, functors, and monads), and consider the computational patterns that these algebraic structures capture. We will look at Haskell, a functional programming language named after Haskell Curry, which provides support for defin- ing and using such algebraic structures. Indeed, monads are central to practical programming in Haskell. First, however, we consider type constructors, and see two new type constructors. 1 Type constructors A type constructor allows us to create new types from existing types. We have already seen several different type constructors, including product types, sum types, reference types, and parametric types. The product type constructor × takes existing types τ1 and τ2 and constructs the product type τ1 × τ2 from them. Similarly, the sum type constructor + takes existing types τ1 and τ2 and constructs the product type τ1 + τ2 from them. We will briefly introduce list types and option types as more examples of type constructors. 1.1 Lists A list type τ list is the type of lists with elements of type τ. We write [] for the empty list, and v1 :: v2 for the list that contains value v1 as the first element, and v2 is the rest of the list. We also provide a way to check whether a list is empty (isempty? e) and to get the head and the tail of a list (head e and tail e).
    [Show full text]
  • CLIFFORD ALGEBRAS Property, Then There Is a Unique Isomorphism (V ) (V ) Intertwining the Two Inclusions of V
    CHAPTER 2 Clifford algebras 1. Exterior algebras 1.1. Definition. For any vector space V over a field K, let T (V ) = k k k Z T (V ) be the tensor algebra, with T (V ) = V V the k-fold tensor∈ product. The quotient of T (V ) by the two-sided⊗···⊗ ideal (V ) generated byL all v w + w v is the exterior algebra, denoted (V ).I The product in (V ) is usually⊗ denoted⊗ α α , although we will frequently∧ omit the wedge ∧ 1 ∧ 2 sign and just write α1α2. Since (V ) is a graded ideal, the exterior algebra inherits a grading I (V )= k(V ) ∧ ∧ k Z M∈ where k(V ) is the image of T k(V ) under the quotient map. Clearly, 0(V )∧ = K and 1(V ) = V so that we can think of V as a subspace of ∧(V ). We may thus∧ think of (V ) as the associative algebra linearly gener- ated∧ by V , subject to the relations∧ vw + wv = 0. We will write φ = k if φ k(V ). The exterior algebra is commutative | | ∈∧ (in the graded sense). That is, for φ k1 (V ) and φ k2 (V ), 1 ∈∧ 2 ∈∧ [φ , φ ] := φ φ + ( 1)k1k2 φ φ = 0. 1 2 1 2 − 2 1 k If V has finite dimension, with basis e1,...,en, the space (V ) has basis ∧ e = e e I i1 · · · ik for all ordered subsets I = i1,...,ik of 1,...,n . (If k = 0, we put { } k { n } e = 1.) In particular, we see that dim (V )= k , and ∅ ∧ n n dim (V )= = 2n.
    [Show full text]
  • Artinian Subrings of a Commutative Ring
    transactions of the american mathematical society Volume 336, Number 1, March 1993 ARTINIANSUBRINGS OF A COMMUTATIVERING ROBERT GILMER AND WILLIAM HEINZER Abstract. Given a commutative ring R, we investigate the structure of the set of Artinian subrings of R . We also consider the family of zero-dimensional subrings of R. Necessary and sufficient conditions are given in order that every zero-dimensional subring of a ring be Artinian. We also consider closure properties of the set of Artinian subrings of a ring with respect to intersection or finite intersection, and the condition that the set of Artinian subrings of a ring forms a directed family. 1. Introduction Suppose R is a commutative ring with unity element. We consider here various properties of the family sf of Artinian subrings of R and the family Z of zero-dimensional subrings of R . We remark that the inclusion s? ç Z may be proper, even if R is Noetherian; for example, Corollary 3.4 implies that if K is an infinite field of positive characteristic, then the local principal ideal ring K[X]/(X2) contains a zero-dimensional subring that is not Artinian. Of course, if every subring of R were Noetherian, the families sf and Z would be identical. Thus one source of motivation for this work comes from papers such as [Gi, Wi, W2, GHi, GH3] that deal with Noetherian and zero- dimensional pairs of rings, hereditarily Noetherian rings, and hereditarily zero- dimensional rings. Another source of motivation is related to our work in [GH3], where we considered several problems concerning a direct product of zero-dimensional rings.
    [Show full text]
  • A Natural Transformation of the Spec Functor
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Elsevier - Publisher Connector JOURNAL OF ALGEBRA 10, 69-91 (1968) A Natural Transformation of the Spec Functor IAN G. CONNELL McGill University, Montreal, Canada Communicated by P. Cohn Received November 28, 1967 The basic functor underlying the Grothendieck algebraic geometry is Spec which assigns a ringed space to each ring1 A; we denote the topological space by spec A and the sheaf of rings by Spec A. We shall define a functor which is both a generalization and a natural transformation of Spec, in a sense made precise below. Our setting is the category Proj, of commutative K-algebras, where k is a fixed ring, and specializations over K which are defined below. A k-algebra is, strictly speaking, a ring homomorphism pA : K -+ A (pa is called the representation or structural homomorphism) and a K-algebra homomorphism is a commutative triangle k of ring homomorphisms. As is customary we simplify this to “A is a K-algebra” and “4 : A -+ B is a K-algebra homomorphism”, when there can be no ambiguity about the p’s. When we refer to K as a K-algebra we mean of course the identity representation. 1. PRIMES AND PLACES Recall the definition of a place $ on the field A with values in the field B (cf. [6], p. 3). It is a ring homomorphism 4 : A, -+ B defined on a subring A, of A with the property that for all X, y E A, xy E A, , x 6 A, =Py E Ker 4.
    [Show full text]
  • Notes on Ring Theory
    Notes on Ring Theory by Avinash Sathaye, Professor of Mathematics February 1, 2007 Contents 1 1 Ring axioms and definitions. Definition: Ring We define a ring to be a non empty set R together with two binary operations f,g : R × R ⇒ R such that: 1. R is an abelian group under the operation f. 2. The operation g is associative, i.e. g(g(x, y),z)=g(x, g(y,z)) for all x, y, z ∈ R. 3. The operation g is distributive over f. This means: g(f(x, y),z)=f(g(x, z),g(y,z)) and g(x, f(y,z)) = f(g(x, y),g(x, z)) for all x, y, z ∈ R. Further we define the following natural concepts. 1. Definition: Commutative ring. If the operation g is also commu- tative, then we say that R is a commutative ring. 2. Definition: Ring with identity. If the operation g has a two sided identity then we call it the identity of the ring. If it exists, the ring is said to have an identity. 3. The zero ring. A trivial example of a ring consists of a single element x with both operations trivial. Such a ring leads to pathologies in many of the concepts discussed below and it is prudent to assume that our ring is not such a singleton ring. It is called the “zero ring”, since the unique element is denoted by 0 as per convention below. Warning: We shall always assume that our ring under discussion is not a zero ring.
    [Show full text]