First step, let's find the identity element of G:
the identity "e" is the element such that, for any x in G,
x*e = e*x = x. Now, by our definition of G,
x*e = x+xe+e = x.
The only value for e that will make the statement true is e=0 since
x+x0+0 = x. Now, to find the inverse of any x (call it "y"), the following needs to be true:
x*y = y*x = e.
This statement should be familiar if you think of it this way: if you take an object (like a number), and operate with its inverse, you should get "nothing" left. Examples include
3 + (-3) = 0, and 2(1/2) = 1, and in functions, f<sup>-1</sup>(f(x))=x.
In our case, since e=0, we have
x*y = x+xy+y = 0. Solving for y gives y(1+x)=-x, and thus y=-x/(1+x). In order for G to actually be a group, we must have that for any x in G, y=inverse(x) must be unique and be in G. Thus we exclude -1.
Last edited by phukraut; 04-19-2005 at 03:14 PM..
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