presentations of algebraic objects
Given an algebraic category with enough free objects one can use the generaldescription of the free object to provide a precise description of all otherobjects in the category
![]()
. The process is called a presentation
![]()
.
Suppose is an object generated by a subset . Then if there existsa free object on , , then there exists a unique morphism![]()
which matches the embedding
of in to the embeddingof in .
As we are in an algebraic category we have a fundamental homomorphism theorem![]()
(we take this as our definition of an algebraic category in this context).This means there is a notion of kernel of and quotient
such that is isomorphic
to .
Now is generted by so every element of is expressed as an informal word over . [By informal word we mean whatever process encodesgeneral elements as generated by . For example, in groups and semigroups these are actual formal words, but in algebras
![]()
these can be linear combinationsof words or polynomials
![]()
with indeterminants in , etc.] Hence a set of generators
for the kernel will be expressed as words over .
Definition 1.
A presentation of an object is a pair of sets where generates and is a set of informal words over such thatthe free object on and the normal subobject of generated by has the property .
Once again, normal refers to whatever property is required for subobject to allow quotients, so normal subgroup![]()
or ideals, etc.
Existence of presentations is dependent on the category being considered.The common categories: groups, rings, and modules all have presentations.
It is generally not possible to insist that a presentation is unique. First we have the variable![]()
choice of generators. Secondly, we may choose various relations
![]()
. Indeed, it is possible that the relations will generate different subobjects such that . In practice, presentations are a highly compactified description of an object which can hide many essential features of the object. Indeed, in the extreem case are the theorems
![]()
of Boone which show that in the category of groups it is impossible to tell if an arbitrary presentation is a presentation of the trivial group.For a detailed account of these theorems refer to
Joseph Rotman, An Introduction to the Theory of Groups, Springer, New York, Fourth edition, 1995.