Let * be the binary operation on N given by a * b = L.C.M. of a and b. Find
(i) 5 * 7, 20 * 16 (ii) Is * commutative?
(iii) Is * associative? (iv) Find the identity of * in N.
(v) Which elements of N are invertible for the operation *?
Here * is a binary operation on N given by a * b = l.c.m. (a, b), a, b ∈ N
(i) 5 * 7 = 35, 20 * 16 = 80
(ii) Since l.c.m. (m, n) = l.c.m. (n, m) ∴ m * n = n * m ∀ m, n ∈ N binary operation is commutative
(iii) Let a, b, c ∈ N
Now a * (b * c) = l.c.m. (a, b * c)
= l.c.m. [a, l.c.m (b. c)]
= l.c.m [l.c.m. (a, b), c]
= l c.m. [(a * b), c]
∴ a * (b * c) = (a * b) * c ∀ a, b, e ∈ N binary operation is associative.
(iv) Let e be identity element. Then
V
a * e = a = e * a ∀ a ∈ N
⇒ (a * e) = a ∀ a ∈N
⇒ l.c.m. (a, e) = a ∀ a ∈ N
⇒ e = 1
∴ 1 is the identity element in N
(v) Let a be an invertible element in N.
Then there exists such that
a * b = 1 ⇒ l.c.m. (a, b) = 1 ⇒ a = b = 1
∴ 1 is the invertible element of N.