Study Material: Relations and Functions

Binary Operations Definition and Properties

A binary operation * on a set A is a function * from A A A. We denote * a, b! by a * b. For e"ample# t$e operation * defined on N as a * b % a&b is a binary operation since * carries eac$ pair a, b! to a uni'ue element a&b in N.

A binary operation * on a set A is called commutati(e# if a * b % b * a# for e(ery a, b A. For e"ample# *: R R R defined by a * b % )) a + b * ab! is commutati(e since a * b % )) a + b + ab! and b * a % )) b + a + ba! and t$erefore# a * b % b * a

A binary operation * on a set A is called associati(e# if a * b! * c % a * b * c!# + a# b# c A. For e"ample# *: N N N defined by a * b % , * a + b is associati(e since a * b * c! % )- * a + b + c % , * ,* a * b! * c % a * b! * c

For a binary operation *: A A A# an element e A# if it e"ists# is called its identity element# if a * e % a % e * a + a A. For e"ample: ) is t$e identity for multiplication on R.

.i(en a binary operation *: A A A /it$ t$e identity element e in A# an element a A is said to be in(ertible /it$ respect to t$e operation *# if t$ere e"ists an element bA# suc$ t$at a * b % e % b * a# and b is called t$e in(erse of a and is denoted by a 0). For e"ample: 0a is t$e in(erse of a for t$e addition operation on R#/$ere - is t$e identity element.

Binary Operation Table

W$en t$e number of elements in set A is small# /e can e"press a binary operation * on A t$rou1$ a table called operation table.

For an operation *: A A A# if A % 2a)# a&3 an4# t$en t$e operation table /ill $a(e n ro/s and n columns /it$ i# j!t$ entry bein1 ai * aj. .i(en any operation /it$ n ro/s and n columns /it$ eac$ entry bein1 an element of A % 2a)# a& 3 an4# /e can define a binary operation * on A 1i(en by ai * aj % entry in it$ ro/ and jt$ column of t$e operation table 5"ample: We can define a binary operation * on A % 2a, b, c4 as follo/s:

* a a b c a b c

b b a c

c c c c

6ere# a * b = b = b * a a*c=c=c*a b*c%c=c*b 7$e operation * is commutati(e.

7o understand t$is concept better# let us loo8 at t$e follo/in1 (ideo.

Solved Examples Example 1: A binary operation A A A# /$ere A % 2a, b, c4# is defined as follo/s:

* a

a b c

a a a

a b c

a c b

9etermine /$et$er t$e operation * is commutati(e and associati(e. Also# find t$e identity for t$e operation *# if it e"ists. Solution: From t$e table# it can be obser(ed t$at a *b % a % b * a a*c%a%c*a b*c%c%c*b 7$e 1i(en binary operation * is commutati(e since for all x, y# A % 2a, b, c4# x*y%y*x :o/# consider a * b * c! % a * c % a a * b! * c % a * c % a 7$us# a * b * c! % a * b! * c Similarly# /e can pro(e t$at x * y! * z % x * y * z! for all x# y# z A. 7$us# t$e 1i(en binary operation * is associati(e. Also# /e can obser(e t$at for any element xA# /e $a(e x * a % x % a * x 7$us# a is t$e identity element for t$e 1i(en binary operation *. Example :

9etermine /$et$er t$e binary operation on t$e set R# defined by a * b %

# a# b R! is commutati(e or not. Solution:

We $a(e *: R R R defined by

# a# b R"

We 8no/ t$at a binary operation * defined on set A is commutati(e# if a * b % b * a + a, b A.

:o/# a * b % a*b;b*a

and b * a %

6ence# t$e 1i(en binary operation * is not commutati(e. Example #: A binary operation * on t$e set 2,# <# =4 is defined by t$e follo/in1 table:

* , < =

, , < =

< < = ,

= = , <

>ompute , * =! * < and , * = * <!. Are t$ey e'ual? Solution: From t$e 1i(en binary operation table# /e $a(e , * =! % = , * =! * < % = * < % , 7$en# = * <! % ,

, * = * <! % , * , % , 7$us# , * =! * < % , * = * <! @ Applect Aearnin1 Systems B(t. Atd.