Let $X, Y$, let's say, homotopy commutative $H$-spaces, $f,g$ maps from $X$ to $Y$. (Actually we only need $Y$ to be homotopy commutative $H$_space, but the statement is easier if we also suppose $X$ to be one). It is not difficult to show that
$Q(f+g)_*=Qf_* +Qg_*$ where $Q$ denotes the module of indecomposables, and $_*$ denotes, let's say, induced map in mod $p$ ordinary homology. (Actually any generalized homology works here as long as we have Kunneth isomorphism.)
This can be shown either by directly writing down the two sides (if we denote $$\Delta (x)= x \otimes 1 +1\otimes x +\Sigma x' \otimes x''$$ then, we have $$(f+g)_*(x)= f_*x +g_*x + \Sigma f_*x' \otimes g_*x''\mbox{ })$$ or by noting that both $_*$ and Q are additive functors.
Now my question is: I have seen this written somewhere, could anyone tell me where I can find a published reference?
This is something completely trivial once you know. However,
- it is not so well-known
- if I hadn't read it some where, then I probably wouldn't have found it on my own
- it makes the life a lot easier.
To illustrate these points, I can say that I have seen a paper where the author computes $(f+g)_*$ in a great length then only to pass to the indecomposable quotients. So the author and the referee of the paper weren't able to come up with this.
So I really would like to give credit to whoever wrote this fact in a published paper. Thank you in advance.