abstract algebra problem..

145 Views Asked by At

Let $U = \{1,0,c\}$ be a ring with three elements ($1$ is the unity). Which statements are true?
\begin{align*} &I.\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,1 + 1 + 1 = 0 \\ &II.\,\,\,\,\, 1 + 1 = c \\ &III.\,\,c^2 = 1 \end{align*}

The solution is I II and III are all true. For III, the solution says by multiplicative table, $c^2$ has to be $1$. I know $c*1=c$ and $c*c=c$ is a bit weird. But I don't think it contradicts the definition of Ring, which just requires closure and associative for multiply.

1

There are 1 best solutions below

1
On BEST ANSWER

Note that $c = 1 + 1$ must hold, so

$$c^2 = 1^2 + 1 + 1 + 1^2 = 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 0 + 1$$

To see the very first statement, note that if $1 + 1 = 1$, then $1 = 0$; if $1 + 1 = 0$, then this contradicts that the additive group must have order $3$.