Group Theory
Binary Operations
Binary Operations
Let S be a set and
a, b S .
Binary Operations
Let S be a set and
a, b S .
A binary operation
on S is a rule which
assigns to any ordered
pair (a, b) an element
a b S.
Binary Operations
Examples
For S , , , , ,
a b a b
Binary Operations
Examples
For S , , , , ,
a b a b
For S , , , , ,
a b ab
Binary Operations
Examples
For S , , , , ,
a b a b
For S , , , , ,
a b ab
For S , , , ,
a b a b
Binary Operations
Examples
For S , , , , ,
a b a b
For S , , , , ,
a b ab
For S , , , ,
a b a b
For S , , , ,
a b min(a, b)
Binary Operations
Examples
For S 1, 2,3
a b b
Binary Operations
Examples
For S 1, 2,3
a b b
For example
1 2 2,
1 1 1,
2 3 3.
Binary Operations
Examples
For S , a b a / b is not everywhere
defined since no rational number is assigned by
this rule to the pair (3, 0).
Binary Operations
Examples
For S , a b a / b is not everywhere
defined since no rational number is assigned by
this rule to the pair (3, 0).
For S , a b a / b is not a binary operation
on since is not closed under .
Binary Operations
Definition
A binary operation
on a set S is
commutative if and
only if a b b a
for all a, b S .
Binary Operations
Definition
A binary operation
on a set S is
associative if
(a b) c a (b c)
for all a, b, c S .
Binary Operations
Examples
The binary operation defined by
a b a b
is commutative and associative in .
Binary Operations
Examples
The binary operation defined by
a b a b
is commutative and associative in .
The binary operation defined by
a b ab
is commutative and associative in .
Binary Operations
The binary operation defined by a b a b
is not commutative in .
Binary Operations
The binary operation defined by a b a b
is not commutative in .
The binary operation given by a b a b is
not associative in .
Binary Operations
The binary operation defined by a b a b
is not commutative in .
The binary operation given by a b a b is
not associative in .
For instance,
(a b) c (4 7) 2 5
but
a (b c) 4 (7 2) 1.