Applied Mathematical Sciences, Vol. 8, 2014, no.

38, 1865 - 1872

HIKARI Ltd, www.m-hikari.com
http://dx.doi.org/10.12988/ams.2014.4291

The Second Isomorphism Theorem

for B-algebras
Joemar C. Endam and Jocelyn P. Vilela

Department of Mathematics and Statistics

College of Science and Mathematics
MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology
Tibanga, Iligan City, Philippines

Copyright  c 2014 Joemar C. Endam and Jocelyn P. Vilela. This is an open access article
distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly
cited.

Abstract
In this paper, some properties of B-homomorphism are provided
and the Second Isomorphism Theorem for B-algebras is proved. Fur-
thermore, a sufficient and necessary condition for the product HK of
subalgebras to be a subalgebra is proved.

Mathematics Subject Classification: 08A35

Keywords: B-homomorphism, normal B-subalgebra, B-isomorphism the-

orem, commutative B-algebra, product of B-subalgebra

1 Introduction
The concept of B-algebras was introduced by J. Neggers and H.S. Kim [3]. A
B-algebra (X; ∗, 0) is an algebra of type (2, 0), that is, a nonempty set X with
a binary operation ∗ and a constant 0) satisfying the following axioms: (I)
x ∗ x = 0, (II) x ∗ 0 = x, and (III) (x ∗ y) ∗ z = x ∗ (z ∗ (0 ∗ y)). In [1], the
notions of a subalgebra and normality of B-algebras were introduced and some
of their properties were established. A nonempty subset N of a B-algebra X
is called a subalgebra of X if x ∗ y ∈ N for any x, y ∈ N. It is called normal
in X if for any x ∗ y, a ∗ b ∈ N implies (x ∗ a) ∗ (y ∗ b) ∈ N. A normal subset of
1866 Joemar C. Endam and Jocelyn P. Vilela

X is a subalgebra of X. The notion of B-homomorphism was also introduced

and the First and Third Isomorphism Theorems for B-algebras were proved.
In this paper, we provide some properties of B-homomorphism and prove a
necessary and sufficient condition for HK to be a subalgebra and the Second
Isomorphism Theorem for B-algebras.

2 Some Properties of B-homomorphism

Let (X; ∗, 0X ) and (Y ; ∗, 0Y ) be B-algebras. A mapping ϕ: X → Y is called a
B-homomorphism from X into Y if ϕ(x ∗ y) = ϕ(x) ∗ ϕ(y) for any x, y ∈ X.
A B-homomorphism ϕ is called a B-monomorphism, B-epimorphism, or B-
isomorphism if ϕ is one-to-one, onto, or a bijection, respectively. An isomor-
phism ϕ: X → X is called a B-automorphism. Throughout this paper, X
means a B-algebra (X; ∗, 0).

Lemma 2.1 Let X be a B-algebra.

{Nα : α ∈ A} is any nonempty collection of subalgebras of X, then

i. If
Nα is a subalgebra of X.
α∈A

ii. If {Nα: α ∈ A} is any nonempty collection of normal subalgebras of X,

then Nα is a normal subalgebra of X.
α∈A

Proof : Let X be a B-algebra.

i. Follows from the fact that a nonempty intersection of a system of subal-
gebras is a subalgebra.
ii. Let {Nα : α ∈ A}
 be any nonempty collection of normal subalgebras
of X. By (i), Nα is a subalgebra of X. Suppose x ∗ y, a ∗ b ∈
 α∈A
Nα . Then x ∗ y, a ∗ b ∈ Nα for all α ∈ A. Since each Nα is normal,
α∈A 
(x ∗ a) ∗ (y ∗ b) ∈ Nα for all α ∈ A. Therefore, (x ∗ a) ∗ (y ∗ b) ∈ Nα
 α∈A
and so Nα is a normal subalgebra of X. 
α∈A

Since a subalgebra is also a B-algebra contained in a given B-algebra, the

following remark easily follows.

Remark 2.2 If N is a normal subalgebra of X, then N is normal for every

subalgebra of X containing N.
The second isomorphism theorem for B-algebras 1867

For any x, y, z ∈ X, we have: (P1) 0 ∗ (0 ∗ x) = x [3], (P2) x ∗ y = 0 ∗ (y ∗ x)

[4], and (P3) x ∗ (y ∗ z) = (x ∗ (0 ∗ z)) ∗ y [3].

Theorem 2.3 [1] Let ∅ =  N ⊆ X. Then N is a subalgebra of X if and

only if x ∗ (0 ∗ y), 0 ∗ y ∈ N for any x, y ∈ N.

Theorem 2.4 [2] Let N be a subalgebra of X. Then N is normal in X if

and only if x ∗ (x ∗ y) ∈ N for any x ∈ X, y ∈ N.

Definition 2.5 Let H, K be subalgebras of X. Define the subset HK of X

to be the set HK = {x ∈ X : x = h ∗ (0 ∗ k) for some h ∈ H, k ∈ K}.

Example 2.6 Let X = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5} be a set with the following table:

∗ 0 1 2 3 4 5
0 0 2 1 3 4 5
1 1 0 2 4 5 3
2 2 1 0 5 3 4
3 3 4 5 0 2 1
4 4 5 3 1 0 2
5 5 3 4 2 1 0

Then (X; ∗, 0) is a B-algebra [3]. Let H = {0, 3} and K = {0, 4}. Clearly, H
and K are subalgebras of X. However, we see that HK = {0, 2, 3, 4} is not
a subalgebra of X since 4 ∗ 3 = 1 ∈/ HK.

In general, HK need not be a subalgebra. In the succeeding results, a

necessary and sufficient condition for HK to be a subalgebra will be proved.
First, we consider the following lemma.

Lemma 2.7 Let H and K be subalgebras of X. Then

i. H ⊆ HK, KH and K ⊆ HK, KH,

ii. HH = H,

iii. H ⊆ K implies HK = KH = K.

Proof : Let H and K be subalgebras of X. If h ∈ H, then h = h∗0 = h∗(0∗0) ∈

HK by (I) and (II). Also, h = 0 ∗ (0 ∗ h) ∈ KH by (P1). Thus, H ⊆ HK, KH.
Similarly, K ⊆ HK, KH.(ii) and (iii) are easy. 

The following theorem gives the necessary and sufficient condition for HK
to be a subalgebra.
1868 Joemar C. Endam and Jocelyn P. Vilela

Theorem 2.8 Let H and K be subalgebras of X. Then HK is a subalgebra

of X if and only if HK = KH.

Proof : Suppose HK is a subalgebra of X. Let x ∈ KH. Then x = k ∗ (0 ∗ h)

for some k ∈ K, h ∈ H. By Lemma 2.7(i), k, h ∈ HK. Since HK is a
subalgebra, 0 ∗ h ∈ HK by Theorem 2.3 and so x = k ∗ (0 ∗ h) ∈ HK.
Thus, KH ⊆ HK. On the other hand, let x ∈ HK. Then 0 ∗ x ∈ HK.
Hence, 0 ∗ x = h ∗ (0 ∗ k) for some h ∈ H, k ∈ K. Since H and K are
subalgebras, 0 ∗ h ∈ H and 0 ∗ k ∈ K. Thus, by (P1) and (P2), we have
x = 0 ∗ (0 ∗ x) = 0 ∗ (h ∗ (0 ∗ k)) = (0 ∗ k) ∗ h = (0 ∗ k) ∗ (0 ∗ (0 ∗ h)) ∈ KH.
Hence, HK ⊆ KH. Therefore, HK = KH.
Conversely, suppose that HK = KH and let x, y ∈ HK. Then x =
h1 ∗ (0 ∗ k1 ), y = h2 ∗ (0 ∗ k2 ) for some h1 , h2 ∈ H, k1 , k2 ∈ K. Now, since
(0 ∗ k2 ) ∗ h2 = (0 ∗ k2 ) ∗ (0 ∗ (0 ∗ h2 )) ∈ KH = HK, (0 ∗ k2 ) ∗ h2 = h3 ∗ (0 ∗ k3 )
for some h3 ∈ H, k3 ∈ K. Similarly, k1 ∗ (0 ∗ h3 ) = h4 ∗ (0 ∗ k4 ) for some h4 ∈
H, k4 ∈ K. Thus, by (P1), (P2), and (III), we have
x ∗ y = (h1 ∗ (0 ∗ k1 )) ∗ (h2 ∗ (0 ∗ k2 ))
= (h1 ∗ (0 ∗ k1 )) ∗ [0 ∗ ((0 ∗ k2 ) ∗ h2 )]
= (h1 ∗ (0 ∗ k1 )) ∗ [0 ∗ (h3 ∗ (0 ∗ k3 ))]
= (h1 ∗ (0 ∗ k1 )) ∗ ((0 ∗ k3 ) ∗ h3 )
= h1 ∗ [((0 ∗ k3 ) ∗ h3 ) ∗ (0 ∗ (0 ∗ k1 ))]
= h1 ∗ [((0 ∗ k3 ) ∗ h3 ) ∗ k1 ]
= h1 ∗ [(0 ∗ k3 ) ∗ (k1 ∗ (0 ∗ h3 ))]
= h1 ∗ [(0 ∗ k3 ) ∗ (h4 ∗ (0 ∗ k4 ))]
= h1 ∗ [((0 ∗ k3 ) ∗ k4 ) ∗ h4 ]
= h1 ∗ [((0 ∗ k3 ) ∗ k4 ) ∗ (0 ∗ (0 ∗ h4 ))]
= (h1 ∗ (0 ∗ h4 )) ∗ ((0 ∗ k3 ) ∗ k4 )
= (h1 ∗ (0 ∗ h4 )) ∗ [0 ∗ (k4 ∗ (0 ∗ k3 ))] ∈ HK.
Therefore, HK is a subalgebra of X. 

In [3], X is commutative if x ∗ (0 ∗ y) = y ∗ (0 ∗ x) for any x, y ∈ X.

Corollary 2.9 If H and K are subalgebras of a commutative B-algebra X,

then HK is a subalgebra of X.

Proof : Since X is commutative, HK = KH. By Theorem 2.8, HK is a

subalgebra of X. 

Lemma 2.10 If N and K are subalgebras of X with K normal in X, then

N ∩ K is a normal subalgebra of N.

Proof : Since N ∩ K ⊆ N, N ∩ K is a subalgebra of N by Lemma 2.1(i). Let

x ∈ N and y ∈ N ∩ K. Since K is normal of X, y ∈ K, x ∈ N ⊆ X, we have
The second isomorphism theorem for B-algebras 1869

x ∗ (x ∗ y) ∈ K by Theorem 2.4. Since N is a subalgebra and x, y ∈ N, we

have x ∗ (x ∗ y) ∈ N. Thus, x ∗ (x ∗ y) ∈ N ∩ K. By Theorem 2.4, N ∩ K is
normal of N. 

Lemma 2.11 If N and K are subalgebras of X with K normal in X, then

NK is a subalgebra of X.

Proof : Let x, y ∈ NK. Then x = n1 ∗ (0 ∗ k1 ) and y = n2 ∗ (0 ∗ k2 ) for some

n1 , n2 ∈ N and k1 , k2 ∈ K. Since N and K are subalgebras of X, n1 ∗ n2 ∈
N and k1 ∗ k2 ∈ K. By Theorem 2.4, n2 ∗ (n2 ∗ (k1 ∗ k2 )) ∈ K. Therefore, by
(I), (II), (III), and (P1), we have
x ∗ y = (n1 ∗ (0 ∗ k1 )) ∗ (n2 ∗ (0 ∗ k2 ))
= n1 ∗ [(n2 ∗ (0 ∗ k2 )) ∗ (0 ∗ (0 ∗ k1 ))]
= n1 ∗ [(n2 ∗ (0 ∗ k2 )) ∗ k1 ]
= [n1 ∗ ((0 ∗ n2 ) ∗ (0 ∗ n2 ))] ∗ [(n2 ∗ (0 ∗ k2 )) ∗ k1 ]
= ((n1 ∗ n2 ) ∗ (0 ∗ n2 )) ∗ [(n2 ∗ (0 ∗ k2 )) ∗ k1 ]
= (n1 ∗ n2 ) ∗ {[(n2 ∗ (0 ∗ k2 )) ∗ k1 ] ∗ (0 ∗ (0 ∗ n2 ))}
= (n1 ∗ n2 ) ∗ {[(n2 ∗ (0 ∗ k2 )) ∗ k1 ] ∗ n2 }
= (n1 ∗ n2 ) ∗ {[n2 ∗ (k1 ∗ (0 ∗ (0 ∗ k2 )))] ∗ n2 }
= (n1 ∗ n2 ) ∗ [(n2 ∗ (k1 ∗ k2 )) ∗ n2 ]
= (n1 ∗ n2 ) ∗ {0 ∗ [n2 ∗ (n2 ∗ (k1 ∗ k2 ))]} ∈ NK.
Therefore, NK is a subalgebra of X. 

Lemma 2.12 If N and K are normal subalgebras of X, then NK = KN

is a normal subalgebra of X.

Proof : By Lemma 2.11 and Theorem 2.8, NK = KN is a subalgebra of X.

Let x ∈ X and y ∈ NK. Then y = n ∗ (0 ∗ k) for some n ∈ N and k ∈ K.
Therefore, by (I), (II), (III), (P1), (P2), and (P3), we have
x ∗ (x ∗ y) = x ∗ [x ∗ (n ∗ (0 ∗ k))]
= x ∗ ((x ∗ k) ∗ n)
= x ∗ [((0 ∗ (0 ∗ x)) ∗ k) ∗ (0 ∗ (0 ∗ n))]
= x ∗ [(0 ∗ (k ∗ x)) ∗ (0 ∗ (0 ∗ n))]
= (x ∗ (0 ∗ n)) ∗ (0 ∗ (k ∗ x))
= [(x ∗ (0 ∗ n)) ∗ ((0 ∗ x) ∗ (0 ∗ x))] ∗ (0 ∗ (k ∗ x))
= [((x ∗ (0 ∗ n)) ∗ x) ∗ (0 ∗ x)] ∗ (0 ∗ (k ∗ x))
= [(x ∗ (0 ∗ n)) ∗ x] ∗ [(0 ∗ (k ∗ x)) ∗ (0 ∗ (0 ∗ x))]
= [(x ∗ (0 ∗ n)) ∗ x] ∗ [(0 ∗ (k ∗ x)) ∗ x]
= [x ∗ (x ∗ (0 ∗ (0 ∗ n)))] ∗ [0 ∗ (x ∗ (0 ∗ (k ∗ x)))]
= (x ∗ (x ∗ n)) ∗ [0 ∗ (x ∗ (x ∗ k))] ∈ NK.
By Theorem 2.4, NK is normal in X. 

Lemma 2.13 If ϕ: X → Y and ψ: Y → Z are B-homomorphisms, then

ψ ◦ ϕ: X → Z is also a B-homomorphism.
1870 Joemar C. Endam and Jocelyn P. Vilela

Assuming compatibility of functions so that composition is defined, the

following corollary easily follows.
Corollary 2.14 The composition of B-monomorphisms is a B-monomorphism,
the composition of B-epimorphisms is an B-epimorphism, the composition of
B-isomorphisms is a B-isomorphism, and the composition of B-automorphisms
is a B-automorphism.
Clearly, the identity mapping idX : X → X of a B-algebra X is an au-
tomorphism of X. If ϕ: X → Y is a B-homomorphism from X into Y , then
ϕ(0X ) = 0Y and ϕ(0X ∗x) = 0Y ∗ϕ(x) for all x ∈ X. Given a B-homomorphism,
the following lemma also holds.
Lemma 2.15 Let ϕ: X → Y be a B-homomorphism from X into Y .
i. If N is a subalgebra of X, then ϕ(N ) is a subalgebra of Y . Moreover, if
N is commutative, then ϕ(N ) is commutative.
ii. If K is a subalgebra of Y , then ϕ−1 (K) is a subalgebra of X containing
Ker ϕ.
iii. If N is a normal subalgebra of X and ϕ is onto, then ϕ(N ) is a normal
subalgebra of Y .
iv. If K is a normal subalgebra of Y , then ϕ−1 (K) is a normal subalgebra
of X.
Proof : Let ϕ: X → Y be a B-homomorphism.
i. Suppose N is commutative. If x, y ∈ ϕ(N ), then there exist a, b ∈ N
such that ϕ(a) = x and ϕ(b) = y. Since N is commutative,
x ∗ (0Y ∗ y) = ϕ(a) ∗ (ϕ(0X ) ∗ ϕ(b))
= ϕ(a ∗ (0X ∗ b))
= ϕ(b ∗ (0X ∗ a))
= ϕ(b) ∗ (ϕ(0X ) ∗ ϕ(a))
= y ∗ (0Y ∗ x).
Therefore, ϕ(N ) is commutative.
iii. Let N is a normal subalgebra of X. By (i), ϕ(N ) is a subalgebra of Y .
Let x ∈ Y and y ∈ ϕ(N ). Then y = ϕ(n) for some n ∈ N. Since ϕ is
onto, there exists a ∈ X such that ϕ(a) = x. Since N is normal in X,
a ∗ (a ∗ n) ∈ N. Thus, x ∗ (x ∗ y) = ϕ(a) ∗ (ϕ(a) ∗ ϕ(n)) = ϕ(a ∗ (a ∗ n))
∈ ϕ(N ). Therefore, ϕ(N ) is normal in Y .
iv. Let K be a normal subalgebra of Y . By (ii), ϕ−1 (K) is a subalgebra of
X. Let x ∈ X and y ∈ ϕ−1 (K). Then ϕ(x) ∈ Y and ϕ(y) ∈ K. Since
K is normal of Y , ϕ(x ∗ (x ∗ y)) = ϕ(x) ∗ (ϕ(x) ∗ ϕ(y)) ∈ K. Thus,
x ∗ (x ∗ y) ∈ ϕ−1 (K) and so ϕ−1 (K) is normal in X. 
The second isomorphism theorem for B-algebras 1871

3 The Second Isomorphism Theorem for B-

algebras
In [3], if N is a normal subalgebra of X, then (X/N; ∗, [0]N ) is a B-algebra,
where X/N = {[x]N : x ∈ X} and ∗ is defined by [x]N ∗ [y]N = [x ∗ y]N . For
x ∈ X, [x]N is the equivalence class containing x, that is, [x]N = {y ∈ X :
x ∼N y}, where x ∼N y if and only if x ∗ y ∈ N for any x, y ∈ X. The algebra
X/N is called the quotient B-algebra of X by N.

The following theorem is labeled as the First Isomorphism Theorem for

B-algebras and can be found in [1].

Theorem 3.1 Let ϕ: X → Y be a B-homomorphism from X into Y . Then

= Imϕ. In particular, if ϕ is surjective, then X/ Ker ϕ ∼
X/Ker ϕ ∼ = Y.

The following theorem is labeled as the Third Isomorphism Theorem for

B-algebras and can be found in [1].

Theorem 3.2 Let N and K be normal subalgebras of X, and let K ⊆ N.

Then X/N ∼
= (X/K)/(N/K).

Lemma 3.3 If K and N are normal subalgebras of X such that K ⊆ N,

then N/K is a normal subalgebra of X/K.

Proof : By Remark 2.2, N/K is well-defined. Note that X/K and N/K are
B-algebras. Since K ⊆ N, N/K ⊆ X/K and so N/K is a subalgebra of X/K.
Let [x]K ∗ [y]K , [a]K ∗ [b]K ∈ N/K. Since [x ∗ y]K = [x]K ∗ [y]K ∈ N/K, x ∗ y
∈ N. Similarly, a ∗ b ∈ N. Since N is normal, (x ∗ a) ∗ (y ∗ b) ∈ N and so
([x]K ∗ [a]K ) ∗ ([y]K ∗ [b]K ) = [x ∗ a]K ∗ [y ∗ b]K = [(x ∗ a) ∗ (y ∗ b)]K ∈ N/K.
Therefore, N/K is a normal subalgebra of X/K. 

This means that (X/K)/(N/K) in Theorem 3.2 is, indeed, well-defined.

The following proves the Second Isomorphism Theorem for B-algebras. Let
N and K be subalgebras of X with K normal in X. By Lemma 2.10, N ∩ K
is a normal subalgebra of N. Thus, N/(N ∩ K) is well-defined. By Lemma
2.11 and Theorem 2.8, NK = KN is a subalgebra of X. By Lemma 2.7(i)
and Remark 2.2, K is normal in NK. Hence, NK/K is well-defined.

Theorem 3.4 If N and K are subalgebras of X with K normal in X, then

N/(N ∩ K) ∼
= NK/K.
1872 Joemar C. Endam and Jocelyn P. Vilela

Proof : Define ϕ: N → NK/K by ϕ(n) = [n]K for all n ∈ N. Since N ⊆ NK,

ϕ(n) = [n]K ∈ NK/K for all n ∈ N. Let m, n ∈ N such that m = n.
Then ϕ(m) = [m]K = [n]K = ϕ(n). Thus, ϕ is well-defined. Let [x]K ∈
NK/K.Then x = n ∗ (0 ∗ k) for some n ∈ N, k ∈ K. It follows that ϕ is
onto since [x]K = [n ∗ (0 ∗ k)]K = [n]K ∗ [0 ∗ k]K = [n]K = ϕ(n). Also, ϕ is a
B-homomorphism since ϕ(a ∗ b) = [a ∗ b]K = [a]K ∗ [b]K = ϕ(a) ∗ ϕ(b). Hence,
by Theorem 3.1, N/Ker ϕ ∼ = NK/K. But
Ker ϕ = {n ∈ N: ϕ(n) = K}
= {n ∈ N: [n]K = [0]K }
= {n ∈ N: n ∈ K}
= N ∩ K.
Therefore, N/(N ∩ K) ∼ = NK/K. 

Acknowledgements. This research is funded by the Department of Sci-

ence and Technology (DOST) through Accelerated Science and Technology
Human Resource Development Program (ASTHRDP).

References
[1] J. Neggers and H.S. Kim, A fundamental theorem of B-homomorphism
for B-algebras, Int. Math. J., 2(3)(2002), 207-214.

[2] A. Walendziak, A note on normal subalgebras in B-algebras, Scientiae

Mathematicae Japonicae Online, (2005), 49-53.

[3] J. Neggers and H.S. Kim, On B-algebras, Mat. Vesnik, 54(2002), 21-29.

[4] A. Walendziak, Some Axiomatizations of B-algebras, Math. Slovaca,

56(3)(2006), 301-306.

Received: March 20, 2014