Spencer Leonardis

4-7-2015
Discussion 01A
Math 111B
2. Let R be a ring. Prove that if a, b R, then (a + b)2 = a2 + ab + ba + b2 .
Proof. We know that in a ring that a(b + c) = ab + ac and (b + c)a = ba + ca. Applying the second
equality (right distribution law), we obtain (a + b)2 = (a + b)(a + b) = a(a + b) + b(a + b). We then left
distribute a and b to obtain a(a + b) + b(a + b) = a2 + ab + ba + b2 , which is the desired result. 2
4. If every x R satisfies x = x2 , prove that R must be commutative.
Proof. We know that for a, b R one has (a + b)2 = a2 + ab + ba + b2 . Suppose that every a R satisfies
a = a2 . Then a2 + ab + ba + b2 = a + ab + ba + b = a + b + ab + ba and since a + b R, we have
(a + b)2 = a + b = a + b + ab + ba. Subtracting (a + b) from both sides of the preceding equality yields
0 = ab + ba (?) ab = ba. Since a + a R, it follows that
a + a = (a + a)2 = a(a + a) + a(a + a) = a2 + a2 + a2 + a2 = a + a + a + a.
Thus a + a = a + a + a + a. Subtracting both sides of this equation by a + a, we see that
0 = a + a a = a. Thus (?) becomes ab = ab = ba. 2
6. If D is an integral domain with Char(D) < , then Char(D) is prime.
Proof. Suppose to the contrary that the Char(D) = x = ab for some 1 < a, b < x. If we define a ring
homomorphism : Z D, k 7 k1D , then (a) and (b) are both nonzero and
(a)(b) = a1D b1D = ab1D = (ab) = (x) = x1D = 0 so that (a) and (b) are both zero divisors. This
contradicts our hypothesis that D is an integral domain. 2
8. If D is an integral domain and if na = 0 for some 0 6= a D and some integer n 6= 0, prove that D is
of finite characteristic.
Proof. We first prove that n(bc) = (nb)c holds for every b, c D and n N. If n = 0 then clearly the
equality holds. Observe that ((n + 1)b)c = (nb + b)c = (nb)c + bc = n(bc) + bc = b(nc + c) = b(c(n + 1)). We
know that na = 0, so (na)b = 0. Since a 6= 0, it must be the case that nb = 0, proving that D has finite
characteristic. 2
10. Show that the commutative ring D is an integral domain if and only if for a, b, c D with a 6= 0 the
relation ab = ac implies that b = c.
Proof. Suppose D has the left cancellation law ab = ac b = c. If ab = 0 for a 6= 0 then ab = 0 = a0
which implies that b = 0. It follows that D has no zero-divisors meaning that D is integral domain.
Conversely, if D is an integral domain and ab = ac for some 0 6= a D and b, c D, then
0 = ab bc = a(b c) b c = 0 b = c, demonstrating that D cancels on the left. 2
11. Prove that Lemma 3.2.2 is false if we drop the assumption that the integral domain is finite.
Proof. The ring Z is an example of an infinite integral domain that is not a field. The multiplication of
Z does not form a group since almost all the elements of Z do not have integer multiplicative inverses
(ie 31 6 Z since there is no a0 in Z such that 3a0 = a0 3 = 1 Z).