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REPRESENTATION OF BOOLEAN ALGEBRAS

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 REPRESENTATION OF BOOLEAN ALGEBRAS

P. G. ROMEO1 AND SREEJAMOL P. R.2

Abstract. In this paper we establish a new representation for boolean al-

gebras, which generalizes the duality. Our basic tool is the concept of cross
connection.

1. Introduction
It is known that a lattice is representable as a ring of sets iff the lattice is dis-
tributive. There exists several representation theories for boolean lattices(boolean
algebras) like Birkhoff’s representation, Stone’s representation etc. Here the tech-
nique of cross connection is used to obtain another representation for boolean lat-
tice. Cross connection is a sort of relation that can be established between two
categories. In the case of a semigroup it is a relation between the category of left
and right ideals of the semigroup. P.A.Grillet was the first who established the
cross connection of partially ordered sets [5] and constructed a regular semigroup
as cross connection semigroup. K.S.S.Nambooripad replaced the partially ordered
sets with normal categories whose objects are principal left and right ideals of a
regular semigroup and the morphisms are right and left translations respectively.
K.S.S.Nambooripad and F.J.Pastijn together established the cross connection of a
complemented modular lattice in their paper [1]. In this paper boolean rings are
expressed as boolean lattices(boolean algebras) and cross connection of boolean
lattice is obtained to get a representation of boolean lattice as cross connection
ring, which is a boolean ring, wherein each element of the ring is represented as
a pair of normal mappings with addition, boolean addition(symmetric difference)
and multiplication, meet .

2. Preliminaries
Definition 1. A lattice is a partially ordered set(poset) L such that every finite
subset of L has a least upper bound (or supremum)called join and has a greatest
lower bound (or infimum)called meet. We say it is distributive if the meet and join
obey the following distributive laws:
∀a, b, c ∈ P, a ∧ (b ∨ c) = (a ∧ b) ∨ (a ∧ c) or a ∨ (b ∧ c) = (a ∨ b) ∧ (a ∨ c)
If a lattice L contains a smallest (greatest) element with respect to ≤, then this
uniquely determined element is called the zero element (one element), denoted by
0 (by 1). 0 and 1 are called universal bounds.

1991 Mathematics Subject Classification. 06E05, 06C99, 06D05, 06E25, 20M10.

Key words and phrases. Boolean ring, Boolean algebra, Cross connection.
Second author wishes to thank University Grants Commission, Govt. Of India(Grant No.FIP/12th
Plan/KLMG058 TF01) for providing financial support under Faculty Development Programme.
1
2 P. G. ROMEO1 AND SREEJAMOL P. R.2

Definition 2. Suppose L is a distributive lattice, if ∀a ∈ L, ∃ac ∈ L such that

(1)a ∧ ac = 0, and (2)a ∨ ac = 1. Then we call ac , a complement of a. Any
distributive lattice in which every element has a unique complement is called a
Boolean algebra.
Examples:
(1) The archetypal example of a boolean algebra is Power set of any set X,
(P (X), ∩, ∪,c ) .

(2) For any natural number n, set of all positive divisors of n defined by a ≤ b ⇒
a/b, bottom element is 1 and top element is n ac = n/a, meet is the greatest
common divisor(g.c.d.) and join is the least common multiple(l.c.m.) is
another example for boolean algebra.
Definition 3. Let A and B be Boolean algebras. A (Boolean) homomorphism is a
mapping f: A → B such that, for all p, q ∈ P :
(1) f (p ∧ q) = f (p) ∧ f (q)
(2) f (p ∨ q) = f (p) ∨ f (q)
(3) f (ac ) = f (a)c
where the operations on the left side of each equation are operations in A, and the
operations on the right side of each equation are operations in B.
Definition 4. A Boolean ring is a ring (R,+,.) in which every element is idem-
potent, satisfying the law a · a = a, ∀a ∈ R.
Note that A Boolean ring is necessarily commutative; obeys the two equivalent
laws a+a = 0, a = -a. A finite Boolean ring necessarily possesses a unit and has a
cardinal number which is a power of 2.
Examples:
(1) Z2 × Z2 is a boolean ring.

(2) Let (X, Σ) be a measurable space, and let R = {χA : A ∈ Σ}, where χA
denotes the characteristic function of A. Define (Boolean) operations on R
by
χA ⊕ χB = χA∆B , andχA · χB = χA∩B , ∀A, B ∈ Σ
Evidently, R is a Boolean ring under these operations and χX is a unit for R.
Lemma 1. Boolean ring can be expressed as boolean algebra(boolean lattice) and
viceversa.
Proof. Given a Boolean ring R, define x ∧ y = xy, x ∨ y = x + y + xy and
xc = x + 1, ∀x, y ∈ R then (R, ∧, ∨,c , 0, 1) is a boolean algebra.
Conversely given a boolean algebra(L, ∧, ∨,c , 0, 1), define x.y = x ∧ y, for multi-
plication and x ⊕ y = (xc ∧ y) ∨ (x ∧ y c ), symmetric difference as addition. Then
(L, ⊕, ·) is a Boolean ring. 
Lemma 2. Boolean rings are Von Neumann regular rings.
Proof. R is a Von Neumann regular ring if ∀a ∈ R, ∃x ∈ R such that axa = a. If R
is a Boolean ring, there exists a solution x = a always as axa = a. Hence R is Von
Neumann regular ring. 
 REPRESENTATION OF BOOLEAN ALGEBRAS 3

Definition 5. An ideal of a partially ordered set P is a subset I of P such that

x ≤ y ∈ I implies x ∈ I. The principal idealP(x) of P generated by x ∈ P is P(x)
= {y ∈ P/y ≤ x}. It is the smallest ideal of P containing x.
Definition 6. Let P and Q be two partially ordered sets. A mapping f : P → Q is
said to be normal mapping if it is order preserving, imf = Q(a) for some a ∈ Q
and ∀x ∈ P , ∃z ≤ x such that f/P(z) is an isomorphism from P(z) onto Q(xf ).
In particular, if f is normal, then there exists at least one element b ∈ P such that
f is an isomorphism of P(b) onto Q(a) = im f. We denote by M(f) the set of all
elements b ∈ P with this property. The set of all normal mappings from P to P,
denoted by N(P) is a semigroup under composition.
Idempotent normal mappings are called normal retractions.
Definition 7. Principal ideal is called normal retract if P (a) = ime where e is
some normal retraction e ∈ N (P ). P is called regular poset if every principal ideal
of P is a normal retract.
Definition 8. An equivalence relation ρ on a poset P is said to be normal if ∃
a normal mapping f ∈ N (P ) such that kerf = f f −1 = ρ Poset of all normal
equivalences on P is denote by P o . When P is regular, then so is P o [1].
Proposition 1. [1] Let I and Λ be regular partially ordered sets and let f : P → Q
be a normal mapping. For σ ∈ Λo , define f o (σ) = ker(f Λ (σ, u)) = σf −1 where
u ∈ M (σ). Then f o : Λo → I o is a normal mapping such that im f o = I o (kerf )
and M (f o ) = {ρ ∈ Λo /b ∈ M (ρ)}, where im f = Λ(b). If P, Q and R are regular
partially ordered sets, and if f : P → Q, and g : Q → R are normal mappings, then
(f g)o = f o g o .
Suppose I and Λ are regular partially ordered sets and Γ : Λ → I o , ∆ : I → Λo
are order preserving mappings . We say that (f, g) ∈ N (I)op × N (Λ) is compatible
with (Γ, ∆) if the following conditions hold:
(c1) imf = I(x), img = Λ(y) ⇒ kerf = Γ(y), kerg = ∆(x)
(c2) the following diagram commutes
∆ Γ
I −−−−→ Λo Λ −−−−→ Io
x x x x

f
go g
 f o
 
I −−−−→ Λo Λ −−−−→ I o
∆ Γ
Definition of Cross connection is given in [1] as following:
If f,g,I,Λ as above then,
(cr1) x ∈ M (Γ(y)) ⇔ y ∈ M (∆(x)), x ∈ I, y ∈ Λ
(cr2) If x ∈ M (Γ(y)), then ∆(xf ) = g o (∆(x)) = g −1 (∆(x))andΓ(g(y)) = Γ(y)f o =
Γ(y)f −1
Then [I, Λ; Γ, ∆] is a cross connection. The fundamental regular semigroup U =
U (I, Λ; Γ, ∆) consists of all the pairs (f,g) that are compatible with (Γ, ∆). U is a
regular semigroup under the composition of mappings.
Definition 9. An order preserving mapping f : P → Qof a poset P into a poset
Q is said to be residuated if there exists an order preserving mapping f + : Q → P
such that yf + f ≤ y and x ≥ xf f + for all x ∈ P and y ∈ Q. The mapping f +
4 P. G. ROMEO1 AND SREEJAMOL P. R.2

is called the residual of f. The set Res P of all residuated transformations of P is

a semigroup under the composition of transformations, and that f → f + is a dual
isomorphism of Res P onto the semigroup Res+ P of all residuals of elements of
Res P.
Definition 10. f ∈ ResP is totally range closed if f maps principal ideals onto
principal ideals. Observe that a residuated transformation that is also normal must
be totally range closed. Further, f ∈ ResP is said to be strongly range closed if f
and f + are totally range closed transformations of P and P op respectively. The set
B(P) of all strongly range closed transformations of P is a sub semigroup of Res
P. If f ∈ Res P, and if both f and f + are normal, then we say f is binormal and
f ∈B(P).

3. Cross connection of Boolean algebras

Let L be a Boolean algebra(Boolean lattice) ∀a ∈ L, let ac be the unique com-
plement of a in L. Define fa : L → L as x → x∧a, ∀x ∈ L, and fa+ : Lop → Lop , y →
y ∨ ac , ∀y ∈ Lop
Proposition 2. fa is a normal mapping.
Proof. (1) fa is order preserving as x ≤ y ⇒ x ∧ a ≤ y ∧ a ⇒ fa (x) ≤ fa (y)
(2) Clearly imfa = L(a), principal ideal generated by a.
(3) For every x in L, put z = x ∧ a, then x ∧ a ≤ x ⇒ z ≤ x.
z ∧ a = (x ∧ a) ∧ a = x ∧ a ⇒ fa (x) = fa (z)
Thus For every x ∈ L, there exists z = x ∧ a ≤ x such that L(z) = L(fa (x))
fa : z → z ∧ a = x ∧ a i.e. fa : L(z) → L(fa (x)), fa acts as an identity
morphism. Hence L(z) ∼ = L(fa (x))
Thus fa is a normal mapping. 
Dually fa+ is also a normal mapping.
It is clear that fa is a binormal idempotent transformation.
Proposition 3. fa (x) = x ∧ a, ∀x ∈ L is a residuated mapping with residual
fa+ (y) = y ∨ ac .
Proof follows from [10].
fa ∈ ResL and fa+ ∈ ResLop are totally range closed mappings. Hence fa is a
strongly range closed mapping, fa ∈ B(L). Similarly fa+ ∈ B(Lop ).
Define Γ(a) = kerfa = {(x, y)/xfa = yfa } = {(x, y)/x ∧ a = y ∧ a} and
∆(a) = kerfa+c = {(x, y)/xfa+c = yfa+c } = {(x, y)/x ∨ a = y ∨ a}

Proof follows from [1]

Note that fa and fa+ are residuated mappings. [10]
Theorem 1. Let L be a boolean lattice. Γ&∆ are defined as above. Then
[L, Lop ; Γ, ∆] is a cross connection.
Proof follows from Theorem 6 of [1].
Define U = U (L, Lop ; Γ, ∆) = {(fa , fa+ )/fa ∈ B(L)}, which is the set of all the
pairs of normal transformations (fa , fa+ ) with fa : L → L, fa+ : Lop → Lop , that are
compatible with (Γ, ∆). U ⊆ B(L) × B(Lop )
Let a,b are members of L, a boolean lattice with complements ac and bc respec-
tively.
 REPRESENTATION OF BOOLEAN ALGEBRAS 5

Define a product in U as (fa , fa+ ) · (fb , fb+ ) = ((fa ∧ fb , fa+ ∨ fb+ ) = (fa∧b , fa∧b
+
) and
addition in U as
(fa , fa+ ) + (fb , fb+ ) = (fa ⊕ fb , fa+ ⊕op fb+ ) = (fa⊕b , fa⊕b
+
)
where ⊕ is the symmetric difference defined by a ⊕ b = (a ∧ bc ) ∨ (b ∧ ac ) and
a ⊕op b = (a ∨ bc ) ∧ (b ∨ ac )
In the following lemmas, we give the results leading to the ring structure on U.
In our discussion, a,b,c,...all denote the elements of boolean lattice L with unique
complements ac , bc , cc , ...respectively.
Lemma 3. U is a semigroup with respect to multiplication defined by
(fa , fa+ ) · (fb , fb+ ) = (fa ∧ fb , fa+ ∨ fb+ ) = (fa∧b , fa∧b
+
)
Proof. Here fa , fb ∈B(L) and fa+ , fb+ ∈ B(Lop )
fa · fb = fa ∧ fb = fa∧b ∈ B(L) since a, b ∈ L and a ∧ b ∈ L as L is a boolean lattice.
fa+ · fb+ = fa+ ∨ fb+ = fa∧b +
∈ B(Lop ) since Lop is a boolean lattice.
+ +
Hence (fa , fa ) · (fb , fb ) ∈ U
So U is closed w.r.t. multiplication.
U is associative w.r.t.multiplication.
i.e. ((fa , fa+ ) · (fb , fb+ )) · (fc , fc+ ) = (fa , fa+ ) · ((fb , fb+ ) · (fc , fc+ ))
For, L.H.S. = ((fa ∧fb )∧fc , (fa+ ∨fb+ )∨fc+ ) = (f(a∧b)∧c , f(a∧b)∧c + +
) =(fa∧(b∧c) , fa∧(b∧c) )
[since L is a Boolean ring, associativity holds w.r.t.meet.]
= (fa ∧ (fb ∧ fc ), fa+ ∨ (fb+ ∨ fc+ )) = (fa , fa+ ) · ((fb , fb+ ) · (fc , fc+ )) = R.H.S. 
Lemma 4. U is a regular semigroup.
i.e.∀(fa , fa+c ) ∈ U , (fa , fa+ ) · (fa , fa+ ) · (fa , fa+ ) = (fa , fa+ )
+
Proof. (fa , fa+ ) · (fa , fa+ ) · (fa , fa+ ) = (fa∧a , fa∧a ) · (fa , fa+ )
+
= (f(a∧a)∧a , f(a∧a)∧a ) = (fa , fa+ ), since L and Lop are boolean lattices. 

Lemma 5. U is associative w.r.t.addition. i.e. for (fa , fa+ ), (fb , fb+ ), (fc , fc+ ) ∈ U,
((fa , fa+ ) + (fb , fb+ )) + (fc , fc+ ) = (fa , fa+ ) + ((fb , fb+ ) + (fc , fc+ )).
Proof. ((fa , fa+ ) + (fb , fb+ )) + (fc , fc+ ) = (fa ⊕ fb , fa+ ⊕op fb+ ) + (fc , fc+ )
+ +
= (fa⊕b , fa⊕b ) + (fc , fc+ ) = (f(a⊕b)⊕c , f(a⊕b)⊕c )
+
= (fa⊕(b⊕c) , fa⊕(b⊕c) ) [since L is a boolean ring w.r.t.symmetric difference.]
= (fa , fa+ ) + (fb ⊕ fc , fb+ ⊕op fc+ ) = (fa , fa+ ) + ((fb , fb+ ) + (fc , fc+ )) 
Lemma 6. There exists (f0 , f0+ ) ∈ U such that (fa , fa+ ) + (f0 , f0+ ) = (fa , fa+ )
Proof. : L.H.S. = (fa ⊕ f0 , fa+ ⊕op f0+ ) = (fa⊕0 , fa⊕0
+
) = (fa , fa+ ). [since L and Lop
are boolean rings, with additive identity 0. ] 
Lemma 7. Every element in U is its own inverse. i.e.(fa , fa+ )+(fa , fa+ ) = (f0 , f0+ )
+
Proof. L.H.S. = (fa ⊕ fa , fa+ ⊕op fa+ ) = (fa⊕a , fa⊕a ) = (f0 , f0+ ) = R.H.S.. [since L
op
and L are boolean rings, with additive identity 0, a ⊕ a = 0. 
Lemma 8. Addition is commutative in U.
Proof. (fa , fa+ ) + (fb , fb+ ) = (fa⊕b , fa⊕b
+
)
+ +
= (fb⊕a , fb⊕a ) = (fb , fb ) + (fa , fa ) [since L and Lop are boolean rings]
+

6 P. G. ROMEO1 AND SREEJAMOL P. R.2

Lemma 9. For (fa , fa+ ), (fb , fb+ ), (fc , fc+ ) ∈ U.

(fa , fa+ ) · [(fb , fb+ ) + (fc , fc+ )] = [(fa , fa+ ) · (fb , fb+ )] + [(fa , fa+ ) · (fc , fc+ ).
+ +
Proof. L.H.S. = (fa , fa+ ) · (fb⊕c , fb⊕c ) = (fa∧(b⊕c) , fa∧(b⊕c) )
+
= (f(a∧b)⊕(a∧c) , f(a∧b)⊕a∧c) ) [since L is a boolean ring, under product meet and
addition symmetric difference, meet is distributive over symmetric difference.]
+ +
= (fa∧b , fa∧b )+(fa∧c , fa∧c ) = [(fa , fa+ )·(fb , fb+ )]+[(fa , fa+ )·(fc , fc+ )] = R.H.S. 
Lemma 10. For (fa , fa+ ), (fb , fb+ ), (fc , fc+ ) ∈ U.
[(fa , fa+ ) + (fb , fb+ )] · (fc , fc+ ) = [(fa , fa+ ) · (fc , fc+ )] + [(fb , fb+ ) · (fc , fc+ )].
+ + +
Proof. L.H.S.= (fa⊕b , fa⊕b )·(fc , fc+ ) = (f(a⊕b)∧c , f(a⊕b)∧c ) = (f(a∧c)⊕(b∧c) , f(a∧c)⊕(b∧c) )[Since
L is a Boolean ring]
+ +
= (fa∧c , fa∧c ) + (fb∧c , fb∧c ) = [(fa , fa+ ) · (fc , fc+ )] + [(fb , fb+ ) · (fc , fc+ )] = R.H.S. 
Lemma 11. (fa , fa+ )c = (fac , fa+c )
Proof. (fa , fa+ ) ∧ (fac , fa+c ) = (fa , fa+ ) · (fac , fa+c ) = (f( a ∧ ac ), f(+ a ∧ ac )) = (f0 , f0+ )
and (fa , fa+ ) ∨ (fac , fa+c ) = (fa , fa+ ) + (fac , fa+c ) + [(fa , fa+ ) · (fac , fa+c )]
= (fa ⊕fac , fa+ ⊕op fa+c )+(f0 , f0+ ) = (fa⊕ac , fa⊕a + + + +
c )+(f0 , f0 ) = (f1 , f1 )+(f0 , f0 ) =

(f1⊕0 , f1⊕0 ) = (f1 , f1 )

Hence (fa , fa+ )c = (fac , fa+c ) 
Theorem 2. U = U (L, Lop ; Γ, ∆) = {(fa , fa+ )/fa ∈ B(L)} is a Boolean ring with
product, meet and addition, symmetric difference.

Theorem follows from above lemmas.

4. Representation of boolean algebras

Let L be a boolean algebra. Obtain the cross connection between L & Lop , and
the cross connection ring U.
Define a mapping ψ : L → U as a → (fa , fa+ ), ∀a ∈ L. Then 0 → (f0 , f0+ ) and
1 → (f1 , f1+ ).
Theorem 3. ψ is a representation. Further it is one-one and onto homomorphism.
Hence L ∼
= U.
+
Proof. ψ(a ∧ b) = (fa∧b , f(a∧b) ) = (fa , fa+ ) ∧ (fb , fb+ ) = ψ(a) ∧ ψ(b)
ψ(a ⊕ b) = (fa⊕b , f(a⊕b) ) = (fa ⊕ fb , fa+ ⊕op fb+ ) = (fa , fa+ ) ⊕ (fb , fb+ ) = ψ(a) ⊕ ψ(b)
+

ψ(ac ) = ((fac , fa+c ) = (fa , fa+ )c = ψ(a)c 

References
[1] K.S.S.Nambooripad and F.J.Pastijn (1985) The fundamental representation of a strongly
regular baer semigroup, J.Algebra,92,283-302.
[2] Steven Givant and Paul Halmos (2009) Introduction to boolean algebras, Springer Verlag,
Newyork. ISBN 978-0-387-40293-2.
[3] Eissa D.Habil (1999) A stone representation theorem and some applications, Tr.J.of Mathe-
matics 23,287-299,TUBITAK.
[4] M.H.Stone (1938) The representation of Boolean Algebras, Bulletin of American Mathemat-
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[5] P.A.Grillet(1995) Semigroups , An introduction to the structure theory, Tulane Univer-
sity,New Orleans, Louisiana. ISBN 0-8247-9662-4
 REPRESENTATION OF BOOLEAN ALGEBRAS 7

[6] P.A.Grillet(1974) The structure of regular semigroups I A representation, Semigroup Forum

8,177-183.
[7] P.A.Grillet(1974) The structure of regular semigroups II A cross connections, Semigroup
Forum 8,254-259.
[8] J.M.Howie(1995) Fundamentals of semigroup theory, Clarendon Press, Oxford. ISBN 0-19-
851194-9
[9] K.S.S.Nambooripad(1994) Theory of cross connections, Publication No.28 - Centre for Math-
ematical Sciences, Trivandrum.
[10] T.S.Blyth(2005) Lattices and ordered algebraic structures, Springer Verlag, London, ISBN
1-85233-905-5.
1 Professor, Dept. of Mathematics, Cochin University of Science and Technology,
Kochi, Kerala, INDIA.,2 Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics, SNM Col-
lege, Maliankara, Ernakulam, Kerala, India.
E-mail address: romeo− parackal@yahoo.com, sreejasooraj@gmail.com

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