Section 10.2.

Homework #2 Masaya Sato

2. Show that the relation ”is R-module isomorphic to” is an equivalence relation on any set
of R-modules.
Proof. (Reflexive) For every R-module M consider the identity R-module map idM : M →
M . Then idM is an isomorphism and M is isomorphic to itself.
(Symmetric) Suppose R-modules M and N are isomorphic via an R-module isomorphism
ϕ : M → N . Then ϕ−1 : N → M is also an isomorphism and thus N is isomorphic to M .
(Transitive) Suppose M is isomorphic to N , and N is isomorphic to L via R-module isomor-
phisms ϕ : M → N and ψ : N → L, respectively. Then their composite map ψ ◦ ϕ is an
isomorphism between M and L. Thus M is isomorphic to L.
4. Let A be any Z-module, let a be any element of A and let n be a positive integer. Prove
that the map ϕa : Z/nZ → A given by ϕa (k) = ka is a well defined Z-module homomorphism
if and only if na = 0. Prove that HomZ (Z/nZ, A) ∼
= An , where An = {a ∈ A|na = 0} (so An
is the annihilator in A of the ideal (n) of Z).
Proof. (⇒) Suppose first that ϕa is a well-defined Z-module homomorphism. Then

na = ϕa (n) = ϕa (0) = 0a = 0

as desired.
(⇐) Conversely suppose that na = 0. Then let l ∈ k be an element in the equivalence class
k. Then for some m ∈ Z k = l + nm and

ϕa (k) = ϕa (l + nm) = (l + nm)a = la + (nm)a

= la + (mn)a
= la + m(na)
= la
= ϕa (l),

so ϕa is a well-defined map. Moreover for all k, l ∈ Z/nZ

ϕa (k + l) = ϕa (k + l) = (k + l)a
= ka + la
= ϕa (k) + ϕa (l)

and for all r ∈ Z

ϕa (rk) = ϕa (rk) = (rk)a = r(ka) = rϕa (k)
and thus ϕa is a Z-module homomorphism.
Now we claim that HomZ (Z/nZ, A) ∼= An , where An = {a ∈ A|na = 0}. Since every
homomorphism ϕ ∈ HomZ (Z/nZ, A) is of the form ϕa (k) = ka, where a ∈ A, consider a
map Ψ : HomZ (Z/nZ, A) → An defined by

Ψ(ϕa ) = ϕa (n) = na.

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Section 10.2. Homework #2 Masaya Sato

Then for all ϕa and ϕa0 in HomZ (Z/nZ, A)

Ψ(ϕa + ϕa0 ) = (ϕa + ϕa )(n) = ϕa (n) + ϕa0 (n) = Ψ(ϕa ) + Ψ(ϕa0 )
and for all r ∈ Z
Ψ(rϕa ) = (rn)a = r(na) = rΨ(ϕa )
and thus Ψ is a Z-module homomorphism. Moreover the argument above implies that
na = 0 if and only if each ϕa is a well-defined homomorphism. Therefore Ψ is bijective and
HomZ (Z/nZ, A) and An are isomorphic.
5. Exhibit all Z-module homomorphisms from Z/30Z to Z/21Z.
Solution: For ϕ : Z/30Z → Z/21Z observe that a Z-module homomorphism ϕ is a homo-
morphism from a finite cyclic group Z/30Z to another cyclic group Z/21Z. The order k of
ϕ(1) divides 21, the order of Z/21Z. Moreover
0 = kϕ(1) = ϕ(k1) = ϕ(k),
so k ∈ ker ϕ and k divides 30, which is the order of Z/30Z. Therefore ϕ(1) is 0, 7, or 14 and
then they all determine distinct homomorphisms.

6. Prove that HomZ (Z/nZ, Z/mZ) ∼

= Z/(n, m)Z.
Proof. Let ϕ : Z/nZ → Z/mZ be a Z-module homomorphism, and let k = ϕ(1). Then the
order of k is m/(m, k), where (m, k) is the g.c.d of m and k, and the order divides both n
and m. So if d is the g.c.d of n and m, then
n = n0 d and m = m0 d,
where n0 and m0 are relatively prime. Then
m/(m, k)|n,
i.e. there exists some p ∈ Z such that p(m/(m, k)) = n. So
pm = (m, k)n ⇒ pm0 d = (m, k)n0 d
⇒ pm0 = (m, k)n0 .
Since n0 and m0 are relatively prime, m0 divides (m, k) and hence m0 divides k. In other
words, m/d = m/(m, n) divides k. Now consider a homomorphism ϕ : Z/nZ → Z/mZ
explicitly defined by
ϕ(x) = (km/d)x,
where k = 0, · · · , d − 1. Therefore there are d homomorphisms and they form a cyclic group
of order d = (n, m). Hence
HomZ (Z/nZ, Z/mZ) ∼
= Zd = Z(n,m) ∼
= Z/(n, m)Z.

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7. Let z be a fixed element of the center of R. Prove that the map m 7→ zm is an R-module
homomorphism from M to itself. Show that for a commutative ring R the map from R to
EndR (M ) given by r 7→ rI is a ring homomorphism (where I is the identity endomorphism).
Proof. We first claim that ϕ : M → M defined by ϕ(m) = zm, where z is some fixed element
of the center Z(R) of R, is an R-module homomorphism. Then for all m, n ∈ M and all
r∈R

ϕ(m + rn) = z(m + rn) = zm + z(rn)

= zm + (zr)n
= zm + (rz)m
= zm + r(zm)
= ϕ(m) + rϕ(m)

since z ∈ Z(R), i.e. z commutes with every element in R under multiplication. So ϕ is an

R-module homomorphism.
Next suppose that R is a commutative ring and let Φ : R → EndR (M ) be a map defined by

Φ(r) = rI,

where I : M → M is the identity endomorphism. Then for all r, s ∈ R

Φ(r + s) = (r + s)I = rI + sI = Φ(r) + Ψ(s)

and
Φ(rs) = (rs)I = (sr)I = (rI)(sI) = Ψ(r)Ψ(s)
since R is commutative, I 2 = I, and

(rI)(sI)(m) = (rI)(s(I(m))) = (rI)(I(sm)) = (rI)(sm) = (rsI)(m)

for every m ∈ M .
9. Let R be a commutative ring. Prove that HomR (R, M ) and M are isomorphic as left R-
modules. [Show that each element of HomR (R, M ) is determined by its value on the identity
of R.
Proof. Observe first that HomR (R, M ) is an R-module, and define an R-module map Ψ :→
HomR (R, M ) → M by
Ψ(f ) = f (1),
where 1 ∈ R is the multiplicative identity. Also denote o ∈ HomR (R, M ) is the zero function,
i.e. o(r) = 0 for all r ∈ R. If f ∈ HomR (R, M ) is not the zero function, then Ψ(f ) = f (1) 6= 0
since f (1) = 0 implies that

f (r) = f (r.1) = r.f (1) = 0 ∀r ∈ R.

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Now we claim that Ψ is a bijective R-module homomorphism. Then for all f, g ∈ HomR (R, M )
and all r ∈ R Ψ is well-defined and
Ψ(f + r.g) = (f + r.g)(1) = f (1) + r.g(1)
= f (1) + (rg)(1)
= f (1) + r.(g(1))
= Ψ(f ) + r.Ψ(g).
So Ψ is an R-module homomorphism. Next suppose that Ψ(f ) = Ψ(g) for all f, g ∈
HomR (R, M ). Then
Ψ(f ) = Ψ(g) ⇒ f (1) = g(1)
⇒ f (1) − g(1) = 0
⇒ (f − g)(1) = 0.
According to the argument above f − g is the zero function, i.e. f − g = o. Thus f = g and
Ψ is injective. Moreover for every m ∈ M construct some f ∈ HomR (R, M ) such that
m = f (1).
This map f is well-defined since for all r ∈ R and m1 , m2 ∈ M if
(r, m1 ) ∈ f and (r, m2 ) ∈ f
then
m1 = f (r) = f (r1) = rf (1) = rm
and
m2 = f (r) = f (r1) = rf (1) = rm,
so m1 = m2 . Therefore Ψ is surjective and hence a bijective R-module homomorphism.
Thus HomR (R, M ) is isomorphic to M as left R-modules.
10. Let R be a commutative ring. Prove that HomR (R, R) and R are isomorphic as rings.
Proof. Since a commutative ring R is a left module over itself, HomR (R, R) is isomorphic to
R as left R-modules by result from problem #9. So all we have to claim is that an R-module
isomorphism Ψ : HomR (R, R) → R respects multiplication. Then for all f, g ∈ HomR (R, R),
where g(1) = r,
Ψ(f ◦ g) = (f ◦ g)(1) = f (r)
= rf (1)
= rΨ(f )
= Ψ(f )r
= Ψ(f )Ψ(g)
since R is commutative. Therefore Ψ is a ring isomorphism and hence HomR (R, R) is iso-
morphic to R.

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11. Let A1 , A1 , · · · , An be R-modules and let Bi be a submodule of Ai for each i = 1, 2, · · · , n.

Prove that
(A1 × · · · × An )/(B1 × · · · × Bn ) ∼
= (A1 /B1 ) × · · · × (A1 /B1 ).
Proof. Define an R-module homomorphism π : A1 × · · · × An → (A1 /B1 ) × · · · × (A1 /B1 ) by
π(a1 , . . . , an ) = (a1 + B1 ) × · · · × (an + Bn ).
Observe that π is well-defined and surjective by its construction. Moreover the kernel ker π
is given by
ker π = {(a1 , . . . , an ) ∈ A|π(a1 , . . . , an ) = (0 + B1 ) × . . . (0 + Bn )}
= {(a1 , . . . , an ) ∈ A|(a1 + B1 ) × · · · × (an + Bn ) = (0 + B1 ) × . . . (0 + Bn )}
= {(a1 , . . . , an ) ∈ A|ai ∈ Bi ∀i = 1, · · · , n}
= B1 × · · · × Bn .
Therefore by the First Isomorphism Theorem for an R-module homomorphism
(A1 × · · · × An )/ ker π ∼
= im π
and hence
(A1 × · · · × An )/(B1 × · · · × Bn ) ∼
= (A1 /B1 ) × · · · × (A1 /B1 )
as desired.
13. Let I be a nilpotent ideal in a commutative ring R, let M and N be R-modules
and let ϕ : M → N be an R-module homomorphism. Show that if the induced map
ϕ : M/IM → N/IN is surjective, then ϕ is surjective.
Proof. Suppose that I is a nilpotent ideal, i.e. there is an integer r so that I r = {0}.
Since ϕ : M/IM → N/IN is surjective, for every n + IN ∈ N + IN there exists some
m + IM ∈ M + IM such that
ϕ(m + IM ) = n + IN .
Observe that ϕ(IM ) ⊂ IN because ϕ is an R-module homomorphism. So ϕ(m) − n ∈ IN
and thus N = ϕ(M ) + IN because ϕ is surjective. Then
N = ϕ(M ) + IN = ϕ(M ) + I(ϕ(M ) + IN ) = ϕ(M ) + I 2 N
since Iϕ(M ) = ϕ(IM ) = ϕ(M ). Therefore at the k-th stage
N = ϕ(M ) + I k N
and this is true for every non-negative integer k. Hence
N = ϕ(M ) + I r N = ϕ(M ) + {0}N .
This implies that N = ϕ(M ) and thus ϕ is surjective as desired.

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