Let * be the binary operation on N defined by a * b = H.C.F. of a and b. Is * commutative ? Is * associative ? Does there exist identity for this binary operation on N ?
Here a * b = H.C.F. of a and b, a, b ∈ N (i) H.C.F. (a, b) = H.C.F. (b, a)
∴ a * b = b * a
* is a commutative binary operation.
(ii) Let a, b, c ∈ N
∴ a * (b * c) = (a, H.C.F. (b, c))
= H.C.F. (H.C.F. (a,b),c)
= (a * b) * c ∴ a * (b * c) = (a * b) * c
∴ * is associative binary operation.
(iii) If e is an identity element, then e * a = a * e = a for a ∈ N.
⇒ H.C.F. of a and e = a ∀ a ∈ N
⇒ a divides e ∀ a ∈ N.
Such a number e, which is divisible by every natural number, does not exist.