Show that a semi-group (E,T) (I.e., with T associative) satisfying a certain property is a monoid (i.e., possesses a neutral element)

45 Views Asked by At

Let $E$ be a set with an internal operation $T$ associative such that there exist $a \in E$ such that :

$(∀y\in E) (\exists x\in E) \ y=aTxTa$

Prove that $(E;T)$ has an identity element.


What I have tried so far is setting $a=aTa'Ta$

and let $e=a'Ta$

and $y=aTxTa$ implies that $y=aTxTaTa'Ta$ and $y=aTa'TaTxTa$

so $y=yT(a'Ta)=(aTa')Ty$

So what I can do now?

Please help me.

1

There are 1 best solutions below

0
On

You basically have it. Since $a \in E$, then by hypothesis there is some $a' \in E$ such that $a = a T a' T a$.

Let $y \in E$ be arbitrary. By hypothesis, there exists $x \in E$ such that $y = a T x T a = a T x T (a T a' T a)$. By associativity of $T$, we can say that $y = (a T x T a) T (a' T a) = y T (a' T a)$. In the same way, $y = a T x T a = (a T a' T a) T x T a$; by associativity of $T$, this becomes $y = (a T a') T (a T x T a) = (a T a') T y$.

What we have shown is that for arbitrary $y \in E$, it is true that

$$y = y T (a' T a) = (a T a') T y$$

If $y = a T a'$, then the equality of the first and second terms gives $a T a' = (a T a') T (a' T a)$. If $y = a' T a$, then the equality of the first and third terms gives $a' T a = (a T a') T (a' T a)$. This shows $a' T a = a T a'$, and that this element is an identity of $E$ follows immediately.