Wednesday, December 24, 2008

The Binary Operations of Boolean Algebras together with their Identity Elements are Monoids

A monoid (M, ∗, e) is a semigroup (M, ∗) with a two-sided identity element e. Semigroups are associative magmas and a magma (M, ∗) is just a binary operation ∗: M×M→M on M.

Given a Boolean Algebra (A, ∩, ∪, ¬, E, E), we want to show that (A, ∩, E) and (A, ∪, E) are monoids. We start by noting that ∩: A×A→A and ∪: A×A→A are binary operations. So, (A, ∩) and (A, ∪) are, by definition, magmas. Next, we note that ∩ and ∪ both satisfy the associative law. So, (A, ∩) and (A, ∪) are, by definition, semigroups.

Next, recall that the absorption and compliment axioms imply that E and Eare right identities of ∪ and ∩ respectively. We can use this fact together with the commutative laws to prove that (A, ∩, E) and (A, ∪, E) are monoids. The proof follows.


Poof that the Right Identities of ∪ and ∩ are also Left Identities
Let a be an element of A:
1 a ∪ E = a a ∩ E = a Since E and E are right identities.
2 E ∪ a = a E ∩ a = a Using the Commutative Laws.

Therefore, E and E are Left Identities of ∪ and ∩, respectively.
Therefore, E and E are two-sided identities of ∪ and ∩, respectively.
Therefore, (A, ∪, E ) and (A, ∩, E) are monoids.


We can now add left identities to our list of properties of Boolean Algebras.


Properties of Boolean Algebras
a ∪ (b ∪ c) = (a ∪ b) ∪ c a ∩ (b ∩ c) = (a ∩ b) ∩ c Associativity
a ∪ (a ∩ b) = a a ∩ (a ∪ b) = a Absorption
a ∪ ¬a = E a ∩ ¬a = E Complements
a ∪ E = a a ∩ E = a Right identities
a ∪ b = b ∪ a a ∩ b = b ∩ a Commutativity
E ∪ a = a E ∩ a = a Left identities
a ∪ (b ∩ c) = (a ∪ b) ∩ (a ∪ c) a ∩ (b ∪ c) = (a ∩ b) ∪ (a ∩ c) Distributivity
Properties in blue font are axioms.
Properties in black font are derived from the axioms.

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