Unit Matrix is Unity of Ring of Square Matrices
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Theorem
Let $R$ be a ring with unity whose zero is $0_R$ and whose unity is $1_R$.
Let $n \in \Z_{>0}$ be a (strictly) positive integer.
Let $\struct {\map {\MM_R} n, +, \times}$ denote the ring of square matrices of order $n$ over $R$.
The unit matrix over $R$:
- $\mathbf I_n = \begin {pmatrix} 1_R & 0_R & 0_R & \cdots & 0_R \\ 0_R & 1_R & 0_R & \cdots & 0_R \\ 0_R & 0_R & 1_R & \cdots & 0_R \\ \vdots & \vdots & \vdots & \ddots & \vdots \\ 0_R & 0_R & 0_R & \cdots & 1_R \end {pmatrix}$
is the identity element of $\struct {\map {\MM_R} n, +, \times}$.
Proof
In Unit Matrix is Identity for Matrix Multiplication, it is demonstrated that:
- $\forall \mathbf A \in \map {\MM_R} n: \mathbf A \mathbf I_n = \mathbf A = \mathbf I_n \mathbf A$
Hence the result, by definition of identity element
$\blacksquare$
Sources
- 1965: Seth Warner: Modern Algebra ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $\text {V}$: Vector Spaces: $\S 29$. Matrices