This document contains solutions to homework problems in a Modern Algebra course. Some key points:
- It provides examples of functions that are and are not ring homomorphisms between various rings.
- It proves properties of ring homomorphisms φ: if φ is a ring homomorphism, then φ(0)=0 and φ(-x)=-φ(x).
- It shows that the image of a ring homomorphism φ(R) is a subring of the codomain.
- It gives a counterexample to show that the image of an ideal under a ring homomorphism is not necessarily an ideal.
- It determines all possible ring homomorphisms between various rings like
This document contains solutions to homework problems in a Modern Algebra course. Some key points:
- It provides examples of functions that are and are not ring homomorphisms between various rings.
- It proves properties of ring homomorphisms φ: if φ is a ring homomorphism, then φ(0)=0 and φ(-x)=-φ(x).
- It shows that the image of a ring homomorphism φ(R) is a subring of the codomain.
- It gives a counterexample to show that the image of an ideal under a ring homomorphism is not necessarily an ideal.
- It determines all possible ring homomorphisms between various rings like
This document contains solutions to homework problems in a Modern Algebra course. Some key points:
- It provides examples of functions that are and are not ring homomorphisms between various rings.
- It proves properties of ring homomorphisms φ: if φ is a ring homomorphism, then φ(0)=0 and φ(-x)=-φ(x).
- It shows that the image of a ring homomorphism φ(R) is a subring of the codomain.
- It gives a counterexample to show that the image of an ideal under a ring homomorphism is not necessarily an ideal.
- It determines all possible ring homomorphisms between various rings like
This document contains solutions to homework problems in a Modern Algebra course. Some key points:
- It provides examples of functions that are and are not ring homomorphisms between various rings.
- It proves properties of ring homomorphisms φ: if φ is a ring homomorphism, then φ(0)=0 and φ(-x)=-φ(x).
- It shows that the image of a ring homomorphism φ(R) is a subring of the codomain.
- It gives a counterexample to show that the image of an ideal under a ring homomorphism is not necessarily an ideal.
- It determines all possible ring homomorphisms between various rings like
1. Which of the following are examples of ring homomorphisms? Explain!
(a) φ : R → R defined by φ(x) = 2x.
This is not a ring homomorphism. For example,
φ(1) · φ(1) = 2 · 2 = 4,
while φ(1 · 1) = φ(1) = 2.
(b) φ : Z5 → Z5 defined by φ(x) = x5 .
This is a ring homomorphism. Indeed x5 = x (mod 5) by Fermat’s
little theorem so this map is simply the identity map.
(c) φ : Q ⊕ Q → Q defined by φ((a, b)) = a.
This is a ring homomorphism. The proof is a direct computation.
(d) φ : C(R, R) → R defined by φ(f (x)) = f (1).
This is a ring homomorphism. The proof is a direct computation.
a b (e) φ : M2 (Z) → Z defined by φ = a. c d
This is not a ring homomorphism. For example,
1 1 1 1 2 2 φ · =φ = 2, 1 1 1 1 2 2
while 1 1 1 1 φ ·φ =1·1=1 1 1 1 1
a b (f) φ : C → M2 (R) defined by φ(a + bi) = . −b a
This is a ring homomorphism. The proof is a direct computation.
2. Let φ : R → S be a ring homomorphism. Prove that φ(0) = 0.
On the one hand
φ(0 + 0) = φ(0) as 0 is the additive identity. On the other hand,
φ(0 + 0) = φ(0) + φ(0)
since φ is a homomorphism. Thus,
φ(0) = φ(0) + φ(0).
Adding −φ(0) to both sides then gives
φ(0) = 0.
3. Let φ : R → S be a ring homomorphism. Prove that φ(−x) = −φ(x).
We have φ(0) = φ(x + −x) = φ(x) + φ(−x) since φ is a homomorphism. By the previous question, φ(0) = 0. Thus,
φ(x) + φ(−x) = 0.
Adding −φ(x) to both sides then gives
φ(−x) = −φ(x).
4. Let φ : R → S be a ring homomorphism. Recall that
φ(R) = {s ∈ S : s = φ(r) for some r ∈ R}.
Prove that φ(R) is a subring of S.
Using the subring test, let s1 , s2 ∈ φ(R). Then there exists r1 , r2 ∈ R such that φ(r1 ) = s1 and φ(r2 ) = s2 . We have
s1 − s2 = φ(r1 ) − φ(r2 ) = φ(r1 − r2 )
which by definition is in φ(R). The check for multiplication follows the
along the same line. 5. Let φ : R → S be a ring homomorphism. If A ⊆ R is an ideal, is it true that φ(A) is an ideal of S? Prove this or give a counter-example.
This is false. Consider R = Z and S = C. We can then take φ to be the
inclusion of Z into C. If we take A = Z, then φ(A) is again Z viewed as a subset of C. Note that Z is not an ideal of C as 1 ∈ Z and i ∈ C, but 1·i=i∈ / Z.
6. Let φ : R → S be a ring homomorphism. Let B ⊆ S be an ideal. We
define φ−1 (B) = {r ∈ R : φ(r) ∈ B}. Is it true that φ−1 (B) is an ideal of R? Prove this or give a counter- example.
This is true. To prove it recall the following defintion.
x ∈ φ−1 (B) if and only if φ(x) ∈ B.
Let x, y ∈ φ−1 (B). We must show that the x − y ∈ φ−1 (B) or equivalently that φ(x − y) ∈ B. Since x, y ∈ φ−1 (B), we have φ(x) ∈ B and φ(y) ∈ B. Thus φ(x − y) = φ(x) − φ(y) ∈ B as B is an ideal. Therefore x − y ∈ φ−1 (B). Now let x ∈ φ−1 (B) and r ∈ R. We must check that rx ∈ φ−1 (B) or equivalently that φ(rx) ∈ B. Since x ∈ φ−1 (B), we have φ(x) ∈ B. Thus
φ(rx) = φ(r)φ(x) ∈ B
as B is an ideal and φ(r) ∈ S. Therefore, rx ∈ φ−1 (B).
Chapter 15: 21. Determine all ring homomorphisms from Z to Z.
Let φ : Z → Z be a ring homomorphism. Note that for n ∈ Z,
φ(n) = nφ(1).
Thus φ is completely determined by its value on 1.
Since 1 is an idempotent in Z (i.e. 12 = 1), we know by question #24 that φ(1) is again idempotent. Let’s determine all of the idempotents of Z. To this end, take x ∈ Z such that x2 = x. Thus x2 − x = x(x − 1) = 0. Since Z is an integral domain, we deduce that either x = 0 or x = 1. Thus the complete list of idempotents of Z are 0 and 1. Thus φ(1) being idempotent implies that either φ(1) = 0 or φ(1) = 1. In the first case, φ(n) = 0 for all n and in the second case φ(n) = n for all n. Thus, the only ring homomorphisms from Z to Z are the zero map and the identity map.
22. Suppose φ is a ring homomorphism from Z ⊕ Z to Z ⊕ Z. What are the
possibilities for φ((1, 0))? Note that (1, 0)2 = (12 , 0) = (1, 0) and thus (1, 0) is idempotent. By question #24, we then have that φ((1, 0)) is idempotent. So let’s determine all idempotents of Z ⊕ Z. So take (x, y) ∈ Z ⊕ Z such that (x, y)2 = (x, y). Then x2 = x and y 2 = y and by the solution to #21, we have that x = 0 or 1 and y = 0 or 1. Thus the only possibilities for φ((1, 0)) are (0, 0),(1, 0),(0, 1) and (1, 1).
23. Determine all ring homomorphisms from Z ⊕ Z to Z ⊕ Z.
A ring homomorphism from Z ⊕ Z to Z ⊕ Z is determined by its values on (1, 0) and (0, 1). Indeed, (a, b) = a(1, 0) + b(0, 1) and thus φ((a, b)) = aφ((1, 0)) + bφ((0, 1)). By question #22 the only possible values for φ((1, 0)) are (0, 0),(1, 0),(0, 1) and (1, 1). Similarly, the only possible values for φ((0, 1)) are these same 4 values. Thus, in total there are at most 16 possible ring homomorphisms from Z ⊕ Z to Z ⊕ Z. However, not all of these 16 maps are ring homomorphisms. Let’s make a list:
Note that if φ is going to be a ring homomorphism, it must send (1, 1) to an
idempotent (as (1, 1) is clearly idempotent). Looking at the above 16 maps, we have that maps 1,3,6,7,9,10 and 11 don’t have this property and thus can’t be ring homomorphisms. (For instance, the first map sends (1, 1) to (2, 0) which isn’t an idempotent.) This leaves us with the 9 maps:
Sasho Kalajdzievski, Derek Krepski, Damjan Kalajdzievski - An Illustrated Introduction To Topology and Homotopy Solutions Manual For Part 1 Topology-Chapman and Hall - CRC (2017)
Sasho Kalajdzievski, Derek Krepski, Damjan Kalajdzievski - An Illustrated Introduction To Topology and Homotopy Solutions Manual For Part 1 Topology-Chapman and Hall - CRC (2017)
