Skip to main content
1 of 12
Terry Tao
  • 114.2k
  • 33
  • 462
  • 539

An identity $E$ that obeys all the claimed properties is $$ E: x+(y+z) = (x+y)+w$$ for all $x,y,z,w$.

  • $E$ is implied by triple constancy (and hence by constancy): obvious since both sides are constant in this case
  • $E$ does not imply triple constancy (and hence does not imply constancy either): follows from considering the left-zero semigroups $x+y=x$ mentioned by arsmath
  • $E$ implies associativity: obvious by specializing to $w = z$
  • $E$ is not implied by associativity: follows from considering (say) addition on the integers
Terry Tao
  • 114.2k
  • 33
  • 462
  • 539