Inverse

🅟 Apr 16, 2026

  🅤 Apr 21, 2026

INV#DEF. Inverse.

Let $M$ be a unital magma with neutral element $e$. Let $a$, $x\in M$.

  • $x$ is a left-inverse of $a$ if

    \[xa = e.\]
  • $x$ is a right-inverse of $a$ if

    \[ax = e.\]
  • $x$ is an inverse of $a$ if $x$ is both a left-inverse and a right-inverse of $a$.

  • $a$ is (left-/right-)invertible if it has a (left-/right-)inverse.

  • $a$ is uniquely (left-/right-)invertible if it has exactly one (left-/right-)inverse.

  • $M$ is (uniquely) (left-/right-)invertible if all elements of $M$ are (uniquely) (left-/right-)invertible.

  • If $M$ is uniquely invertible, we write $a^{-1}$ for the unique inverse of each $a\in M$.

  • The invertible subset of $M$ is

    \[\inv M = \{a\in M:\text{$a$ is invertible}\}.\]