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1.7 Binary Operations

A binary operation (or just operation) on a set A
is a rule which assigns to each ordered pair (a,b) of elements
of A
exactly one element a b in A.
Example
1. The usual addition (+) on Z, R, C, R
+
, Z
+
.
2. The usual multiplication (*) on Z, R, C, R
+
, Z
+
.
A A A X :
That is :
2
(2) a b must be uniquely defined.
Three aspects of the definition that need to be stressed:
(1) a b is defined for every ordered pair (a,b) of
elements of A.
Addition (+) on M(R) is not defined.
M(R) -- the set of all matrices with real entries.
A+B is not defined for an ordered pair (A,B) of matrices
having different numbers of rows or of columns.
Suppose we define an operation

on R such that
, , any for R b a . is square se number who the is ab b a
defined uniquely not is
since
8 2
is 4 or -4
Hence addition (+) on M(R) is not an operation
. on operation an not is Hence R
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(3) If a and b are in A, then a b must also be in A.
-closed under operation.
Suppose we have a set A={0,1,2,3,4}
+ on A is not an operation since A is not closed under +
ex: 2+4 =6
A
Example
1. Is addition (+) an operation on R
*
? R
*
-Nonzero real numbers.
Solution
Hence addition (+) on A is not an operation.
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Commutative
An operation on a set A is commutative if (and only if)
a b = b a
. , all for A b a
Example
Is the operation below commutative?
1. be an operation on Z
+
such that
, , for

Z b a
ab equals the smaller of a and b or the common value if a=b.
Solution
Remark
If the question is: Is a commutative operation .?
Need to check whether it is an operation first!!
Properties of Operation
5
be an operation on Z
+
such that 2.
a b = a
Solution
Associative Operation
An operation on a set A is associative if (and only if)
(a b) C = a (b C )
Example
Addition on R is associative, but division is not.
Ex.
(3/4)/5 = 3/20

3/(4/5) =15/4
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Identitiy Element
Let be an operation on a set A.
If there is an element e in A with the property that
e a = a and a e =a for every element a in A
then e is called an identity or neutral element with
respect to the operation
Example
0 is the identity element for addition in R.
1 is the identity element for multiplication in R.
Remark
An identity element is unique.
That is, it is the same for all element of a set.
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Inverse Element
Let be an operation on a set A.
If a is an element in A, and x is an element of A with the
property that
a x = e and x a =e
then x is called an inverse of a.
Example
-a is the inverse of a for addition in R.
1/a is the inverse of a for multiplication in R
) 0 ( a
Remark
An inverse element is not unique in a set but it is unique
for each element.
The inverse of a is denoted by a
-1
.