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Mathematics | Rings, Integral domains and Fields
• Last Updated : 12 Sep, 2018

Prerequisite – Mathematics | Algebraic Structure

Ring – Let addition (+) and Multiplication (.) be two binary operations defined on a non empty set R. Then R is said to form a ring w.r.t addition (+) and multiplication (.) if the following conditions are satisfied:

1. (R, +) is an abelian group ( i.e commutative group)
2. (R, .) is a semigroup
3. For any three elements a, b, c R the left distributive law a.(b+c) =a.b + a.c and the right distributive property (b + c).a =b.a + c.a holds.

Therefore a non- empty set R is a ring w.r.t to binary operations + and . if the following conditions are satisfied.

1. For all a, b R, a+b R,
2. For all a, b, c R a+(b+c)=(a+b)+c,
3. There exists an element in R, denoted by 0 such that a+0=a for all a R
4. For every a R there exists an y R such that a+y=0. y is usually denoted by -a
5. a+b=b+a for all a, b R.
6. a.b R for all a.b R.
7. a.(b.c)=(a.b).c for all a, b R
8. For any three elements a, b, c R a.(b+c) =a.b + a.c and (b + c).a =b.a + c.a. And the ring is denoted by (R, +, .).

R is said to be a commutative ring if the multiplication is commutative.

Some Examples –

1. (, + ) is a commutative group .(, .) is a semigroup. The disrtributive law also holds. So, ((, +, .) is a ring.
2. Ring of Integers modulo n: For a n let be the classes of residues of integers modulo n. i.e ={).
(, +) is a commutative group ere + is addition(mod n).
(, .) is a semi group here . denotes multiplication (mod n).
Also the distriutive laws hold. So ((, +, .) is a ring.

Many other examples also can be given on rings like (, +, .), (, +, .) and so on.

Before discussing further on rings, we define Divisor of Zero in A ringand the concept of unit.

Divisor of Zero in A ring –
In a ring R a non-zero element is said to be divisor of zero if there exists a non-zero element b in R such that a.b=0 or a non-zero element c in R such that c.a=0 In the first case a is said to be a left divisor of zero and in the later case a is said to be a right divisor of zero . Obviously if R is a commutative ring then if a is a left divisor of zero then a is a right divisor of zero also .

Example – In the ring (, +, .) are divisors of zero since
and so on .
On the other hand the rings (, +, .), (, +, .), (, +, .) contains no divisor of zero .

Units –
In a non trivial ring R( Ring that contains at least to elements) with unity an element a in R is said to be an unit if there exists an element b in R such that a.b=b.a=I, I being the unity in R. b is said to be multiplicative inverse of a.

Some Important results related to Ring:

1. If R is a non-trivial ring(ring containing at least two elements ) withunity I then I 0.
2. If I be a multiplicative identity in a ring R then I is unique .
3. If a be a unit in a ring R then its multiplicative inverse is unique .
4. In a non trivial ring R the zero element has no multiplicative inverse .

Now we introduce a new concept Integral Domain.

Integral Domain – A non -trivial ring(ring containing at least two elements) with unity is said to be an integral domain if it is commutative and contains no divisor of zero ..

Examples –
The rings (, +, .), (, +, .), (, +, .) are integral domains.
The ring (2, +, .) is a commutative ring but it neither contains unity nor divisors of zero. So it is not an integral domain.

Next we will go to Field .

Field – A non-trivial ring R wit unity is a field if it is commutative and each non-zero element of R is a unit . Therefore a non-empty set F forms a field .r.t two binary operations + and . if

1. For all a, b F, a+b F,
2. For all a, b, c F a+(b+c)=(a+b)+c,
3. There exists an element in F, denoted by 0 such that a+0=a for all a F
4. For every a R there exists an y R such that a+y=0. y is usually denoted by (-a)
5. a+b=b+a for all a, b F.
6. a.b F for all a.b F.
7. a.(b.c)=(a.b).c for all a, b F
8. There exists an element I in F, called the identity element such that a.I=a for all a in F
9. For each non-zero element a in F there exists an element, denoted by in F such that =I.
10. a.b =b.a for all a, b in F .
11. a.(b+c) =a.b + a.c for all a, b, c in F

Examples – The rings (, +, .), (, + . .) are familiar examples of fields.

Some important results:

1. A field is an integral domain.
2. A finite integral domain is a field.
3. A non trivial finite commutative ring containing no divisor of zero is an integral domain
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