Binary

Operations

Donna Bee R. Tominez

February 5, 2022
 Definition

• A binary operation * on a set S is a function mapping S x S into S.

• For each (a, b)  S x S, we will denote the element *((a, b)) of S by
a* b.
• binary operation * on S assigns to each ordered pair (a, b) of
elements of S, an element a * b of S.
• Binary refers to the fact that we are mapping pairs of elements
from S into S.
 Examples

1. Usual addition + is a binary operation on the set R.

2. Usual multiplication  is binary operation on R.
3. Usual addition + and usual multiplication  are binary operations
on any of the sets C, Z, R+, or Z-.
4. Let M(R) be the set of all matrices with real entries. The usual
matrix addition is not a binary operation on this set since A + B
is not defined for an ordered pair (A, B) of matrices having
different numbers of rows or of columns.
Definition

Let * be an operation on S and let H be a subset of S. The

subset H is closed under * if for all a, b  H we also have a * b
 H. In this case, the operation on H given by restricting * to H
is the induced operation of * on H .
 Examples

1. Usual addition + on the set R of real numbers does not induced a binary operation on
the set R* of nonzero real numbers since 2  R* and -2  R*, but 2 + (-2) = 0 and 0 
R*. Thus R* is nit closed under +.
2. Let + and  be the usual operations of addition and multiplication on set Z and let H =
{n2| n  Z+. Then H is closed under multiplication but not closed under addition.
Observe that 12 = 1 and 22 = 4 are in H but 1 + 4 = 5  H
Suppose that r, s  H . Then there must be integers n, m  Z+ such that r = n2 and
s = m2. Thus rs = n2m2 = (nm)2. But the characterization of elements in H and the fact that
nm  Z+, this means that rz  H, so H is closed under multiplication.
Example
 Examples

1. On Z+, we define an operation * by a* b equals the smaller of a and b, or the

common value if a = b. Thus 2 * 11 = 2; 15 * 10 = 10; and 3 * 3 = 3.

2. On Z+, we define an operation *' by a *' b = a. Thus 2 *' 3 = 2; 25 *' 10 = 25; and 5 *'
5 = 5.

3. On Z+, we define an operation *" by a *" b = ( a* b) + 2, where * is defined in

Example 1. Thus 4 *" 7 = (4 * 7) + 2 = 4 + 2 = 6;
25 *" 9 = (25 * 9) + 2 = 9 + 2 = 11 ; and
6 *" 6 = (6 * 6) + 2 = 8.
Definition

An operation * on a set S is commutative if (and only if)

a * b = b * a for all a, b S.
Examples

1. On Z+, we define an operation * by a* b equals the smaller of a and b, or

the common value if a = b.
-In this example, a * b = b * a, thus S * is commutative

2. On Z+, we define an operation *' by a *' b = a.

- Not commutative since 5 ’ 7 = 5 but 7 ’ 5 = 7
Definition

An operation on a set S is associative if

(a* b) * c = a* (b * c) for all a, b, c  S.
 Example

On Z+, we define an operation * by a* b equals the smaller of a and

b, or common value if a = b.
We see that (2  5)  9 = (2)  9 = 2 and 2  (5  9) = 2  5 = 2
Let a, b, c  Z+ such that a has the smallest value.
Then (a  b)  c = a  c = a and a  (b  c ) = a  b if b < c
=a
and a  (b  c ) = a  c if b > c
=a
Hence, (a  b)  c = a  (b  c) and is associative.
Theorem
Definition

Let S be a set with binary operation * . If e  S has the property

that for all a  S,
a * e = e * a = a,
then e is called an identity element for *·
Theorem

(Uniqueness of Identity) A set with binary operation * has at most one

identity element.
Proof
We need to show that there cannot be two different identity elements. To do
this, we assume that both e and e' are identities and show that e = e'.
Consider the element e * e' . Since e is an identity, e * e' = e’ .
But e* e' = e because e' is also an identity.
Therefore e = e'.
Definition

If * is an operation on the set S and S has an identity e, then for

any x  S, the inverse of x is an element x' such that
x * x' = x' * x = e.
 Example (Tables)

Table 1.20 defines the binary operation* on S = {a, b, c) by the following rule:
(ith entry on the left) * (jth entry on the top) =(entry in the ith row andjth column of the table body).

Thus a* b = c and b * a = a, so * is not commutative

 Example

Complete Table 1.22 so that * is a commutative operation on the set S = {a, b, c, d).
 Example

When an operation has an identity element, it is customary to put the identity first in the
list of heads. This makes the first row and the first column match the head row and
head column as seen in Table 1.25.
 Some Words of Warning

Remember that in an attempt to define a binary operation  on a set S we must be sure

that
1. exactly one element is assigned to each possible ordered pair of elements of S,
2. for each ordered pair of elements of S, the element assigned to it is again in S.
Regarding Condition 1, we often make an attempt that assigns an element of S to “most’
ordered pairs, but for a few pairs, determines no element. In this event,  is not
everywhere defined on S. It may also happens that for some pairs, the attempt could
assign any of the several elements of S, that is, there is ambiguity.
In any case of ambiguity,  is not well defined.
If Condition 2 is violated, then S is not closed under .
 Examples

On which of the sets Q, Q*, and Z+ does the formula a * b = a/ b define an operation?
❑ Note that this formula does not make sense in the case that b = 0.
So for example, 2 * 0 = 2/0 is not defined, which means Condition l is not satisfied. So
* is not an operation on Q.
❑ If we throw out 0, we do have an operation on Q* since both Conditions I and 2 are
satisfied. That is, for any a, b  Q*, a * b = a/ b is a non zero rational number.
❑ The set Z+ does not include 0, but there is another issue.
For example, 1 * 2 = 1/2  Z+, which means that Condition 2 is violated and * is not
an operation on Z+.
Exercises

Exercises l through 4 concern the binary operation *

defined on S = {a, b, c, d, e} by means of Table 1.31.

1. Compute b * d, c * c, and [(a * c) * e ] * a.

2. Compute (a* b) * c and a* (b *c).Can you say on
the basis of this computation whether * is
associative?
3. Compute (b * d) * c and b * (d * c). Can you say
on the basis of this computation whether* is
associative?
4. Is * commutative? Why?
 Exercises

5. Complete Table 1.32 so as to define a commutative binary operation* on S = {a, b, c, d).

6. Table 1.33 can be completed to define an associative binary operation * on S = {a, b, c, d).
Assume this is possible and compute the missing entries. Does S have an identity element?
 Exercises

In Exercises 7 through 11, determine whether the operation * is associative, whether the
operation is commutative, and whether the set has an identity element.

7. * defined on Z by letting a * b = a - b
8. * defined on Q by letting a * b = 2ab + 3
9. * defined on Z by letting a * b = ab + a + b
10. * defined on Z+ by letting a * b = 2ab
11. * defined on Z+ by letting a * b = ab
 Notations
R = Set of real numbers
Z = Set of Integers
R+ = Set of positive real numbers
Q* = Set of nonzero rational numbers
Q- = Set of negative rational numbers
Z+ = Set of positive integers
Q = Set of rational numbers
R* = Set of nonzero real numbers
R- = Set of negative real numbers
Q+ = Set of positive rational numbers
Z* = Set of nonzero integers
Z- = Set of negative integers
 References

Fraleigh, J. B. (2021). A first course in abstract algebra (8th ed.). Addison-Wesley.

Mass.
Gallian, Joseph A. (2017) Contemporary Abstract Algebra, 9th ed. Cengage Learning, Boston.
Smith, Jonathan D. H.(2016) Introduction to Abstract Algebra, 2nd ed. CRC Press, Boca
Raton, Fla.
Hungerford, Thomas W. (2014) Abstract Algebra : An introduction, 3rd ed. Cengage
Learning,Australia.