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A graphic theory of associativity and wordchain patterns

Part of the Lecture Notes in Mathematics book series (LNM,volume 969)

Abstract

The problem of deciding whether a partial binary operation, a "bin", can be embedded in a semigroup is the associativity problem (for general bins). It is known that it is equivalent to the word problem for (semi)groups and thus unsolvable, even for the class of finite bins. This paper establishes a close association between bins and their wordchains and 3-connected 3-regular planar graphs, or, equivalently convex 3-regular polyhedral nets (skeletons). This permits a constructive approach revealing the combinatorial depth of the associativity problem in detail and leads to a naturally enumerable hierarchy of standard wordchain patterns, of universal bins, and of associative laws. Each bin is a superposition of homomorphic images, i.e. "colourings" of edges, of universal bins. One side result is a purely algebraic equivalent of the 4-colour-theorem. The obtained results open further ways for an efficient search by computer for simplest non-associativity contradictions. It is hoped that they lead to solutions of the associativity problem for further subclasses of bins, further insight into the structure of partial binary operations and of polyhedra and will yield precise measures of presentations for associative systems and their classifications.

Keywords

  • Word Problem
  • Homomorphic Image
  • Multiplication Table
  • Semi Group
  • Triangular Prism

These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

The term bin has been proposed by K. Osondu in his thesis (Buffalo N.Y., 1974) and can be used, when wanted, with "partial" or "full", similarly to "partial" or "linear" order.

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References

  1. C. Berge, Graphs and Hypergraphs. North Holland (2nd edition) 1976.

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  2. Paul W. Bunting, Jan van Leeuwen and Dov Tamari, Deciding Associativity for Partial Multiplication Tables of Order 3. Mathematics of Computation, 32 (1978), 593–605.

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  3. Branko Grünbaum, Convex Polytopes. Interscience Publ.1967, Ch.13 and Table 1, p.424.

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  4. Danièle Huguet et Dov Tamari, La Structure Polyédrale des Complexes de Parenthésages. J. of Combinatorics, Information and System Sciences, 3 (1978), 69–81.

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  5. Kevin E. Osondu, Symmetrisations of Semigroups. Semigroup Forum, 24 (1982), 67–75.

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  6. Dov Tamari, The Associativity Problem for Monoids and the Word Problem for Semigroups. In "Word Problems", North Holland Publ.Co., Amsterdam 1973, 591–607.

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© 1982 Springer-Verlag

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Tamari, D. (1982). A graphic theory of associativity and wordchain patterns. In: Jungnickel, D., Vedder, K. (eds) Combinatorial Theory. Lecture Notes in Mathematics, vol 969. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0063002

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0063002

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-11971-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-39380-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive