Friday, 21 November 2008

abstract algebra - Canonical examples of algebraic structures

I often think of "universal examples". This is useful because then you can actually prove something in the general case - at least theoretically - just by looking at these examples.



Semigroup: $mathbb{N}$ with $+$ or $*$



Group: Automorphism groups of sets ($Sym(n)$) or of polyhedra (e.g. $D(n)$).



Virtual cyclic group: Semidirect products $mathbb{Z} rtimes mathbb{Z}/n$.



Abelian group: $mathbb{Z}^n$



Non-finitely generated group: $mathbb{Q}$



Divisible group: $mathbb{Q}/mathbb{Z}$



Ring: $mathbb{Z}[x_1,...,x_n]$



Graded ring: Singular cohomology of a space.



Ring without unit: $2mathbb{Z}$, $C_0(mathbb{N})$



Non-commutative ring: Endomorphisms of abelian groups, such as $M_n(mathbb{Z})$.



Non-noetherian ring: $mathbb{Z}[x_1,x_2,...]$.



Ring with zero divisors: $mathbb{Z}[x]/x^2$



Principal ideal domain which is not euclidean: $mathbb{Z}[(1+sqrt{-19})/2]$



Finite ring: $mathbb{F}_2^n$.



Local ring: Fields, and the $p$-adics $mathbb{Z}_p$



Non-smooth $k$-algebra: $k[x,y]/(x^2-y^3)$



Field: $mathbb{Q}, mathbb{F}_p$



Field extension: $mathbb{Q}(i) / mathbb{Q}, k(t)/k$



Module: sections of a vector bundle. Free <=> trivial. Point <=> vector space.



Flat / non-flat module: $mathbb{Q}$ and $mathbb{Z}/2$ over $mathbb{Z}$



Locally free, but not free module: $(2,1+sqrt{-5})$ over $mathbb{Z}[sqrt{-5}]$



... perhaps I should stop here, this is an infinite list.

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