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Viewing Version 12 of 'inverse of a product'
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Title of object: inverse of a product
Canonical Name: InverseFormingInProportionToGroupOperation
Type: Theorem

Created on: 2004-12-13 15:42:16
Modified on: 2008-04-23 17:59:13

Creator: pahio
Modifier: pahio
Author: pahio

Classification: msc:20-00, msc:20A05
Keywords: inverse, group operation
Synonyms: inverse of a product=inverse of a product in group

Revision comment (for changes between this and next version):

synon.

Preamble:

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\usepackage{amssymb}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{amsfonts}

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%\usepackage{psfrag}
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%\usepackage{graphicx}
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\usepackage{amsthm}
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\theoremstyle{definition}
\newtheorem*{thmplain}{Theorem}
Content:

\begin{thmplain}
\,If $a$ and $b$ are arbitrary elements of the group \,$(G,\,*)$, then the inverse of $a*b$ is
\begin{align}
(a*b)^{-1} = b^{-1}*a^{-1}.
\end{align}
\end{thmplain}

{\em Proof.}\, Let the neutral element of the group, which may be proved unique, be\, $e$.\, Using only the group postulates we obtain
$$(a*b)*(b^{-1}*a^{-1}) = a*(b*(b^{-1}*a^{-1})) =
a*((b*b^{-1})*a^{-1}) = a*(e*a^{-1}) = a*a^{-1} = e,$$
$$(b^{-1}*a^{-1})*(a*b) = b^{-1}*(a^{-1}*(a*b)) = b^{-1}*((a^{-1}*a)*b) =
b^{-1}*(e*b) = b^{-1}*b = e,$$
Q.E.D.

\textbf{Note.}\, The \PMlinkescapetext{formula} (1) may be by induction extended to the form
$$(a_1*\cdots*a_n)^{-1} = a_n^{-1}*\cdots*a_1^{-1}.$$