All Questions
Tagged with semigroup-theory or semigroups-and-monoids
96 questions
8
votes
1
answer
238
views
Functions over monoids which factor in two different ways
This is a follow-up question to this MO question, which was asked by Richard Stanley in a comment to my answer there.
Let $S$ be a commutative monoid and $f(x_1, \dots, x_n)$ be a function from $S^n$ ...
- 32.1k
8
votes
0
answers
285
views
Matrix decompositions as monoid isomorphisms. Ever considered before?
I've noticed some correspondences between some matrix decompositions and monoid isomorphisms (always to some free commutative monoid), in addition to the one I asked about in a previous question:
...
- 4,943
8
votes
5
answers
1k
views
Examples of left reversible semigroups
I am looking for concrete examples of cancellative, left reversible semigroups. Left reversible semigroups are also called "Ore semigroups". See this wikipedia page for the definition of a left ...
- 550
7
votes
2
answers
370
views
Wants: Polynomial Time Algorithm for Decomposing a Multiset of Rationals into Two Additive Subsets.
First, allow me to say that this problem was posed to me by a professor in the department. It is related to his research in a way that I do not know. However, since I couldn't come up with anything ...
- 4,842
7
votes
0
answers
194
views
Factoring a function from a finite set to itself
Let $S$ be a finite set and $f: S \to S$ be a function. Let $k = |f(S)|$ and let $\alpha$ be the partition of $S$ into $f$-fibers, i.e. $\alpha = \{ \alpha_t \}_{t \in f(S)}$ where $\alpha_t = f^{-1}(\...
- 695
7
votes
2
answers
488
views
Is every cancellative semigroup a subdirect product of subdirectly irreducible cancellative semigroups?
By a classical result of Birkhoff (that is, Theorem 2 in [G. Birkhoff, Subdirect unions in universal algebra, Bull. AMS, 1944]) and the trivial fact that the class of semigroups is closed under the ...
- 10.5k
7
votes
1
answer
722
views
How is called a semigroup...
Does anyone know, how is called a semigroup in which every equation $ax=b$ has only a finite set (maybe empty) of solutions?
- 3,110
6
votes
3
answers
595
views
What's the current state of one-rule semi-Thue system termination problem?
What's the current state of one-rule semi-Thue system termination problem? Search produces a lot of references, but it's hard to find out if decidability of this problem has been proven or not.
6
votes
0
answers
632
views
Generating functions in countable commutative monoids
Let $f: \mathbb{N}_0 \rightarrow \mathbb{C}$ be a function. The power series of $f$ can be viewed as the function $\mathscr{P}_f : q \mapsto \sum_{n \in \mathbb{N}_0}^{} f(n)q^n$ where $q \in \mathbb{...
- 405
6
votes
1
answer
622
views
When is the cofibrant replacement of a product the product of the cofibrant replacements?
I'm in a situation where I'd like to prove $Q(E\otimes E) \simeq QE \otimes QE$ for a monoid $E$ in a symmetric monoidal model category. I know it's not true in general that $Q(E\otimes F)\simeq QE \...
- 30.3k
6
votes
0
answers
618
views
Duality between conjugacy classes and irreducible characters for finite monoids?
Qiaochu's answer to this question suggests that the proper way to view the bijection between conjugacy classes and irreducible complex representations of a finite group is via a duality. My question ...
- 38.6k
6
votes
3
answers
393
views
Structure theorem for a class of idempotent monoids (where $xy = x$ or $xy = y$ for all $x, y$)
Question. Is there any structure theorem for the class of monoids $H$ with the property that $xy = x$ or $xy = y$ for all $x, y \in H$? Or does this look hopeless for some good reasons?
A monoid with ...
- 10.5k
6
votes
0
answers
190
views
The highest degree of a polynomial on a finite group
This question is motivated by the comments and the answer to this MO-question.
First let us recall some definitions.
A function $f:X\to X$ on a group $X$ is called a polynomial if there exists $n\in\...
- 41.9k
6
votes
3
answers
472
views
Spaces with unique endomorphism monoids
If $(X,\tau)$ is a topological space, let $\text{End}(X)$ denote the collection of all continuous maps $f: X\to X$. With composition, this becomes the endomorphism monoid $(\text{End}(X), \circ)$.
We ...
- 48.9k
6
votes
1
answer
371
views
Embedding a cancellative monoid into another in such a way that a prescribed element becomes left-invertible
Let $\mathbb A = (A, +_A)$ be a cancellative, but possibly non-commutative, monoid with identity $0$, and fix an element $x \in A$. Does there always exist a cancellative monoid $\mathbb B = (B, +)$ ...
- 10.5k
5
votes
2
answers
236
views
Descent of flatness from algebras to monoids
Consider a morphism of commutative monoids $u\colon M\rightarrow N$. We say that $u$ is flat, if the tensor product functor $\bullet\otimes_MN$ from the category of $M$-modules to the category of $N$-...
- 6,700
5
votes
0
answers
99
views
Zappa-Szép products of the monoid of integers with itself
Question
What are all the functions $\alpha , \beta : \mathbb{N} \to \mathbb{N}$ satisfying the following functional equations?
$\bullet ~~~~ \alpha(0)=0, \quad \beta(0)=0\\
\bullet ~~~ \...
- 5,482
5
votes
1
answer
342
views
Can the trivial module be stably free for a monoid ring?
Let $M$ be a non-trivial monoid and $\mathbb ZM$ its monoid ring. All modules are left modules in what follows. Suppose that $M$ contains a zero element (or absorbing element) $z$. That is $mz=z=zm$ ...
- 38.6k
5
votes
0
answers
187
views
Isbell duality for monoids and groups
Isbell Duality
$\newcommand{\IsbellSpec}{\mathsf{Spec}}\newcommand{\IsbellO}{\mathsf{O}}\newcommand{\Sets}{\mathsf{Sets}}\newcommand{\rmL}{\mathrm{L}}\newcommand{\rmR}{\mathrm{R}}\newcommand{\B}{\...
- 11.8k
5
votes
2
answers
402
views
Maximal commuting subsets of $\text{End}(X)$
Let $X$ be a set and let $\text{End}(X)$ be the set of all functions $f:X\to X$. We say that $f, g\in \text{End}(X)$ commute if $g\circ f = f\circ g$, and $S\subseteq \text{End}(X)$ is a commuting ...
- 48.9k
5
votes
2
answers
364
views
Have semigroups with actions on themselves that have a dual to the compatibility axiom ever been studied?
For a semigroup $G$ with a left action on itself, the axiom for compatibility becomes:
$$
\forall f,g,h\in G:hg(f)=h(g(f))
$$
Now suppose there is additional axiom, or constraint if you prefer, ...
- 505
5
votes
2
answers
332
views
Questions on weakly symmetric algebras
A finite dimensional algebra $A$ over a field $K$ is called weakly symmetric in case $soc(P)=top(P)$ for every indecomposable projective module $P$ and it is called symmetric in case $D(A) \cong A$ as ...
- 26.5k
4
votes
1
answer
446
views
What is a "cusp" ("кусок") in relation to Guba's embedding theorem?
I'm confused by the definition of a "cusp" as found in
V.S. Guba, Conditions for the embeddability of semigroups into groups, Math. Notes 56 (1994), Nos. 1-2, 763-769 (link).
In the words of Mark ...
- 10.5k
4
votes
1
answer
385
views
Which monoids can be realized as the monoid of ideals of a commutative monoid?
Let $H$ be a commutative monoid (written multiplicatively). We say that a set $I \subseteq H$ is an ideal of $H$ if $IH = I$. The set $\mathcal I(H)$ of all ideals of $H$ is made into a (commutative) ...
- 10.5k
4
votes
0
answers
158
views
Is the group ring of an amenable group, viewed as multiplicative monoid, amenable?
Motivated by this question, it seems natural to ask the following:
Question 1: Is there a [finitely generated discrete] torsion-free virtually Abelian (but not Abelian) group $G$ so that the ...
- 4,432
4
votes
1
answer
428
views
Cancellable elements of a power semigroup
For a semigroup $S,$ its power semigroup $P(S)$ is the semigroup of all non-empty subsets of $S$ with the operation given by $AB=\{ab\,|\,a\in A,b\in B\}.$ I would like to know about the cancellable ...
- 1,445
3
votes
0
answers
161
views
Making the powerset into a topological monoid
Every monoid $X$ induces a monoid structure $\circledast$ on $\mathcal{P}(X)$ via
$$U\circledast V := \{uv\ |\ u\in U,v\in V\}.$$
Moreover, a morphism of monoids $f\colon X\to Y$ induces a morphism of ...
- 11.8k
3
votes
0
answers
303
views
Pseudomodules, "general coherence theorem"
A pseudomonoid is defined within a monoidal bicategory. It is like a monoid in a monoidal category except that the usual axioms hold up to coherent invertible 2-cells. Pseudomonoid is like a monoidal ...
- 2,312
3
votes
1
answer
404
views
How many monoids with $n$ arrows exist?
How many monoids with strictly $n$ arrows exist? Is this known? I ask this only out of curiosity. Looking at $n=1,2,3,4$, this number doesn't appear to be very large relative to $n$.
- 41
3
votes
1
answer
285
views
Cancellative semigroup on a distributive lattice
Let $(S,\le)$ be a distributive lattice. Is there a semigroup structure on $S$ such that $S$ is cancellative and always $(x\wedge y)(x\vee y)=xy$?
- 1,145
3
votes
0
answers
314
views
Certain conditions on cancellative semigroups
This is extracted from this question following Benjamin Steinberg's suggestion.
For a semigroup $S,$ let $P(S)$ denote the power semigroup of $S,$ which is made up of all non-empty subsets of $S$ ...
- 1,445
2
votes
1
answer
182
views
Terminology for the equation $a=a+b$ in commutative semigroups
Let $(S,+)$ be a commutative semigroup. For $a,b\in S$ consider the equation $a=a+b$. Does such a relation between the given $a$ and $b$ have a name? I am currently using such equations quite often ...
2
votes
1
answer
122
views
If $H$ is essentially equimorphic to $K$, then is $H$ atomic only if so is $K$?
I will first state my question, and then give all the relevant definitions.
Q. Let $H$ and $K$ be monoids, and assume $H$ is essentially equimorphic to $K$. Is it true that $H$ is atomic only if so ...
- 10.5k
2
votes
0
answers
80
views
Are the roots of an infinitely divisible probability infinitely divisible themselves?
Let $\mu$ be an infinitely divisible probability on a topological group $G$. If $\nu ^{* n} = \mu$ for some $n$, is $\nu$ an infinitely divisible probability too?
A sufficient criterion would be to ...
- 5,407
2
votes
1
answer
302
views
Name for this algebraic structure?
I've found myself looking at a structure $\mathbb{M}$ whose important properties are:
$\mathbb{M}$ is a discretely ordered additive monoid.
$\mathbb{M}$ has a least element, and this least element is ...
- 10.1k
2
votes
0
answers
106
views
Descent of flatness from algebras to monoids II
This is a follow-up question to this one. There, Benjamin Steinberg showed that a morphism of commutative monoids $u$ need not be flat if the induced morphism of $R$-algebras $R[u]$ is flat for some ...
- 6,700
2
votes
2
answers
241
views
If $(\mathbb M, \tau)$ is a topological monoid, is $\tau$ always induced by a [left] subinvariant semimetric?
Let me start by recalling some basic definitions (just for the sake of avoiding misunderstandings due to the vocabulary of the post).
Basically following some ideas of W. Lawvere (but not his ...
- 10.5k
2
votes
0
answers
122
views
First-countable topological monoids without local absorbing elements whose topology is induced by a semimetric
This is a follow up of Question 163246. For the reader's convenience, let me first copy&paste some basic definitions.
We let a semimetric on a set $X$ be a function $d: X \times X \to [0,\infty]$ ...
- 10.5k
2
votes
3
answers
1k
views
on the set of numbers generated by integer linear combination of two real numbers.
Let $b > a > 0$ be two real numbers. I am interested in the set of numbers
$X(p,q) = p a + q b$ with $p,q$ positive integers. Basically this is the set $a \mathbb{N} + b \mathbb{N}$.
What ...
- 29
2
votes
0
answers
119
views
The "matrix direct sum" monoid modulo unitary equivalence
Given a commutative $*$-ring $(R,*)$, let $M(R,*)$ be the monoid whose elements are matrices over $R$ of all possible shapes and entries, including those that have $0$ columns or $0$ rows. Let the ...
- 4,943
1
vote
0
answers
52
views
Is every cyclic right action of a cancellative invertible-free monoid on a set isomorphic to the set of shifts of some homography?
The terms are defined in a related question. [1]
Conjecture 1. Let $A$ be a set, $W$ a cancellative invertible-free monoid, and $\cdot\colon A\times W\rightarrow A$ a cyclic right $W$-action generated ...
1
vote
1
answer
96
views
If $H$ is commutative and unit-cancellative, then so is the monoid of non-empty ideals of $H$
Let $H$ be a (multiplicatively written) commutative monoid with identity $1_H$. Given $X, Y \subseteq H$, we take
$$XY := \{xy: x \in X,\, y \in Y\}.$$
We call a set $I \subseteq H$ an ideal of $H$ ...
- 10.5k
1
vote
2
answers
296
views
Are orbits of an affine algebraic monoid affine?
Let us work over the complex numbers for simplicity. Let $M$ be an affine algebraic monoid and $X$ an affine variety on which $M$ acts regularly, i.e. there is a morphism $\alpha: M\times X\to X$. Let ...
- 4,902
1
vote
1
answer
231
views
Continuous semigroup homomorphism of composition to additive structure
Let $G$ be the topological semigroup whose underlying space is $C(\mathbb{R}^d,\mathbb{R}^d)$ equipped with composition as semigroup operation and let $H$ be the topological group whose underlying ...
- 5,405
0
votes
1
answer
403
views
When does a power semigroup have a zero, and what can the zero be?
Let $S$ be a semigroup. The power semigroup of $S$ is the set $P(S)=2^S\setminus\lbrace\varnothing\rbrace $ with the operation $$AB=\lbrace ab\ |\ a\in A,\ b\in B\rbrace.$$
This operation is ...
- 1,445
-8
votes
1
answer
351
views
Are there overwhelmingly more finite monoids than finite spaces? [closed]
A function $f:\mathbb{Z}_{\geq 1}\to\mathbb{Z}_{\geq 1}$ overwhelms $g:\mathbb{Z}_{\geq 1}\to\mathbb{Z}_{\geq 1}$ if for any $k\in \mathbb{Z}_{\geq 1}$ the inequality $f(n)\leq g(n+k)$ holds only for ...
- 23