Free Modules, Bases and Direct Sums/Products - Bland, Proposition 2.2.3

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around understanding Proposition 2.2.3 from Paul E. Bland's book "Rings and Their Modules," specifically the equivalence of statements (1) and (3) regarding free modules. Participants are exploring the implications of these statements, particularly in the context of bases and direct sums, including cases where the index set is uncountably infinite.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Peter seeks assistance in rigorously proving the equivalence of (1) and (3) in Proposition 2.2.3, emphasizing the case of uncountably infinite sets.
  • Some participants clarify that the index set $\Delta$ can be either finite or infinite, regardless of the type of infiniteness.
  • It is noted that if $M=\bigoplus _\Delta x _\alpha R$, then each element $x\in M$ can be expressed as a finite sum with only finitely many nonzero coefficients, suggesting that $\{x _\alpha\} _\Delta$ forms a basis of $M$.
  • Conversely, if $\{x _\alpha\} _\Delta$ is a basis of $M$, then it follows that $M$ can be expressed as a direct sum of the form $M=\bigoplus _\Delta x _\alpha R$.
  • Peter questions whether the basis $\{x _\alpha\} _\Delta$ could be infinite, which is acknowledged by others, but they emphasize that linear combinations must still be finite sums.
  • One participant reiterates that while the basis may be infinite, the linear combinations must have finitely many nonzero coefficients.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the definitions and implications of bases and direct sums in the context of free modules, but there is ongoing exploration regarding the nature of the basis and the implications of infinite sets. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the nuances of these equivalences.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference specific propositions and definitions from Bland's text, indicating a reliance on the text's framework. The discussion touches on the conditions under which the equivalences hold, particularly concerning the nature of the index set and the structure of linear combinations.

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I am reading Paul E. Bland's book "Rings and Their Modules ...

Currently I am focused on Section 2.2 Free Modules ... ...

I need some help in order to fully understand the proof of the equivalence of (1) and (3) in Proposition 2.2.3 ...

Proposition 2.2.3 and its proof reads as follows:View attachment 5607Bland omits the proof of the equivalence of (1) and (3) ...

Can someone please help me to get started on a rigorous proof of the equivalence of (1) and (3) ... especially covering the case where $$\Delta$$ is an unaccountably infinite set ...

Peter========================================================

To help MHB members reading the above post with Bland's notation I am providing the following notes from Bland's text:View attachment 5608
https://www.physicsforums.com/attachments/5609

View attachment 5610View attachment 5611
View attachment 5612
 
Last edited:
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$\Delta$ may be finite or infinite, whatever kind of infiniteness.

Using prop 2.1.10 of Bland, $M=\bigoplus _\Delta M_\alpha$ with $M _\alpha \leq M$, means that each $x\in M$ can be written uniquely as a finite sum $x=\Sigma _\Delta x _\alpha$, where $x _\alpha \in M$ for all $\alpha \in \Delta$ (i.e. only finitely many $x _\alpha$'s are nonzero).

(3) => (1) Given $\{x _\alpha \} _\Delta \subset M$
$M=\bigoplus _\Delta x _\alpha R$ means that each element $x\in M$ can be written uniquely as a finite sum $x=\Sigma _\Delta x _\alpha r _\alpha$ with $r _\alpha \in R$, where only finitely many $r _\alpha$'s are nonzero. This means that $\{x _\alpha \} _\Delta$ is a basis of $M$ by definition.

(1) => (3) Given $\{x _\alpha \} _\Delta$, with $x _\alpha \in M$, is a basis of $M$. So each element $x\in M$ can be written uniquely as a finite sum $x=\Sigma _\Delta x _\alpha r _\alpha$ with $r _\alpha \in R$, where only finitely many $r _\alpha$'s are nonzero. This means that $M=\bigoplus _\Delta x _\alpha R$ by prop 2.1.10.
 
steenis said:
$\Delta$ may be finite or infinite, whatever kind of infiniteness.

Using prop 2.1.10 of Bland, $M=\bigoplus _\Delta M_\alpha$ with $M _\alpha \leq M$, means that each $x\in M$ can be written uniquely as a finite sum $x=\Sigma _\Delta x _\alpha$, where $x _\alpha \in M$ for all $\alpha \in \Delta$ (i.e. only finitely many $x _\alpha$'s are nonzero).

(3) => (1) Given $\{x _\alpha \} _\Delta \subset M$
$M=\bigoplus _\Delta x _\alpha R$ means that each element $x\in M$ can be written uniquely as a finite sum $x=\Sigma _\Delta x _\alpha r _\alpha$ with $r _\alpha \in R$, where only finitely many $r _\alpha$'s are nonzero. This means that $\{x _\alpha \} _\Delta$ is a basis of $M$ by definition.

(1) => (3) Given $\{x _\alpha \} _\Delta$, with $x _\alpha \in M$, is a basis of $M$. So each element $x\in M$ can be written uniquely as a finite sum $x=\Sigma _\Delta x _\alpha r _\alpha$ with $r _\alpha \in R$, where only finitely many $r _\alpha$'s are nonzero. This means that $M=\bigoplus _\Delta x _\alpha R$ by prop 2.1.10.

Hi Steenis,

Just reworking Section 2.2 of Bland ... and in particular Proposition 2.2.3 ...

In the above post you write:

"... ... (3) => (1) Given $\{x _\alpha \} _\Delta \subset M$
$M=\bigoplus _\Delta x _\alpha R$ means that each element $x\in M$ can be written uniquely as a finite sum $x=\Sigma _\Delta x _\alpha r _\alpha$ with $r _\alpha \in R$, where only finitely many $r _\alpha$'s are nonzero. This means that $\{x _\alpha \} _\Delta$ is a basis of $M$ by definition. ... ... "This argument seems to imply that the basis $\{x _\alpha \} _\Delta$ could well be infinite ... is that right?Hope you can help ...

Peter
 
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Peter said:
Hi Steenis,

Just reworking Section 2.2 of Bland ... and in particular Proposition 2.2.3 ...

In the above post you write:

"... ... (3) => (1) Given $\{x _\alpha \} _\Delta \subset M$
$M=\bigoplus _\Delta x _\alpha R$ means that each element $x\in M$ can be written uniquely as a finite sum $x=\Sigma _\Delta x _\alpha r _\alpha$ with $r _\alpha \in R$, where only finitely many $r _\alpha$'s are nonzero. This means that $\{x _\alpha \} _\Delta$ is a basis of $M$ by definition. ... ... "This argument seems to imply that the basis $\{x _\alpha \} _\Delta$ could well be infinite ... is that right?Hope you can help ...

Peter

My apologies steenis ... I did not read your previous post carefully enough ... and somehow (I don't quite know how ? ) missed your statement :

"... ... $\Delta$ may be finite or infinite, whatever kind of infiniteness. ... ... "

... careless of me ... sorry ...

But thanks again for your post ... your posts are enabling me to understand Bland's excellent book ...

Peter
 
No, I don't mind.

The basis may be infinite, but remember, the linear combinations $x=\Sigma _\Delta x _\alpha r _\alpha$
in which $x _\alpha$ are the basis elements, must be finite sums, thus only finitely many $r _\alpha \in R$ are nonzero.
 
steenis said:
No, I don't mind.

The basis may be infinite, but remember, the linear combinations $x=\Sigma _\Delta x _\alpha r _\alpha$
in which $x _\alpha$ are the basis elements, must be finite sums, thus only finitely many $r _\alpha \in R$ are nonzero.
THanks for your generous help, steenis...

Peter
 

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