Int. J. Pure Appl. Sci. Technol., 2(1) (2011), pp.

71-77
International Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences and Technology
ISSN 2229 - 6107
Available online at www.ijopaasat.in

Research Paper
A Note on α Derivations in Semirings
M. Chandramouleeswaran1,* and V. Thiruveni2

1, 2
Saiva Bhanu Kshatriya College, Aruppukottai – 626101, India.

* Corresponding author, e-mail: moulee59@gmail.com

(Received: 29-12-2010; Accepted: 08-02-2011)

Abstract: Motivated by some results on derivations in rings, in [2] we have defined

derivations and generalized derivations on semirings and investigated some
fundamental results on the derivations in semirings. In this paper, we introduce the
notion of α derivations on semirings and investigate some interesting results including
the analogous theorem of Posner.

Keywords: Semirings, derivations on rings, derivations on semirings, α−

derivations.

1. Introduction:
The notion of semirings was first introduced in 1934 by H.S.Vandiver. A
semiring is an algebraic structure, consisting of a nonempty set R on which we have
defined two associative binary operations, addition (usually denoted by +) and
multiplication (usually denoted by — or by concatenation) such that the multipllication
is distributive over addition.

The notion of rings with derivations is quite old and plays a significant role in the
integration of analysis, algebraic geometry and algebra. The study of derivations in
rings though initiated long back, but got interested only after Posner who in 1957
established two very striking results on derivations in prime rings. [3] and [4]
deals with the notion of derivations on commutative fields. The notion of
derivation has also been generalized in various directions, such as Jordan derivation,
generalized derivation [5], generalized Jordan derivation etc. Also there has been
considerable interest in investigating commutativity of rings, more often that of prime
and semiprime rings admitting those mappings which are centralizing or commuting
on some appropriate subsets of the ring.
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The notion of derivations in semirings is defined in [1] and nothing was said about
it. In [2] we have defined derivations on semirings and investigated some fundamental
results on the derivations in semirings. Also as in ring theory, we have defined the
notion of generalized derivations on semirings and investigated some interesting
simple results. Using generalized derivations some commutativity theorems were
obtained. In this paper, we introduce the notion of α derivations on semirings and
investigate some interesting results including the analogous theorem of Posner.

2. Preliminaries:
In this section, basic definitions and results that are required for our work are recalled.

Definition 2.1. A semiring (S, +, ·) is a non-empty set S together with two

associative binary operations, + and ·, such that the two distributive laws are
satisfied. That is, a semiring (S, +, ·) is a non-empty set S together with two binary
operations, + and ·, such that

(1) (S, +) is a semigroup.

(2) (S, ·) is a semigroup.
(3) For all a, b, c ∈ S, a · (b + c) = a · b + a · c and (b + c) · a = b · a + c · a.

Definition 2.2. A semiring (S, +, ·) is said to be additively commutative if (S,

+) is a commutative semigroup. A semiring (S, +, ·) is said to be multiplicatively
commutative if (S, ·) is a commutative semigroup. It is said to be commutative if
both (S, +) and (S, ·) are commutative.
Definition 2.3. The semiring (S, +, ·) is said to be a semiring with zero, if it has an
element
’0’ in S such that x + 0 = x = 0 + x ∀ x ∈ S. A semiring (S, +, ·) is said to
have an identity element 1, if 1 = 0 ∈ S such that 1 · x = x = x · 1 ∀ x
∈ S.
Definition 2.4. Let (S, +, ·) be a semiring. An element α of S is called
additively left cancellative if for all γ, β ∈ S, α + β = α + γ ⇒ β = γ. It
is said to be additively right cancellative if for all γ, β ∈ S, β + α = γ + α
⇒ β = γ. It is said to be additively cancellative if it is both left and right
cancellative. If every element of the semiring S is additively left cancellative, it is
called additively left cancellative. If every element of the semiring S is additively right
cancellative, it is called additively right cancellative.

Similarly we can define multiplicatively left cancellative element, right cancellative

element, cancellative element and multiplicatively left(right and two-sided) cancellative
semiring.

Notation. Through out our work in this paper, we consider semirings with
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Int. J. Pure Appl. Sci. Technol., 2(1) (2011), 71-77.

absorbing zero and with identity 1 = 0.

Definition 2.5. Let (S, +, ·) be a semiring. Any nonempty subset A of S is said
to be a subsemiring if it contains ’0’ and ’1’ and is closed under the operations of ’+’
and 0 ·0 .
Let (S, +, ·) be a semiring. Any nonempty subset I of S is said to be a left ideal of
S if the following conditions are satisfied.

(1) 1 ∈/ I .
(2) a, b ∈ I ⇒ a + b ∈ I .
(3) a ∈ I and s ∈ S ⇒ sa ∈ I .

Similarly, we can define right and two sided ideals in a semiring.

Definition 2.6. Let R be an associative ring. An additive mapping d : R → R is

called a derivation if d(xy) = d(x)y + xd(y) ∀x, y ∈ R. In particular, for a
fixed a ∈ R, the mapping Ia : R → R given by Ia (x) = [x, a] = xa − ax is a
derivation, called an inner derivation. An additive function F : R → R is called a
generalized derivation with associated derivation d if F (xy) = F (x)y + xd(y) ∀ x,
y ∈ R.

Definition 2.7. Let (S, +, ·) be a semiring. A derivation on S is a map D : S → S

satisfying the following conditions

(1) D(x + y) = D(x) + D(y), ∀ x, y ∈ S.

(2) D(xy) = D(x)y + xD(y), ∀ x, y ∈ S.
From condition (1) with b = 0, we see that D(0) = 0. From condition (2) with b
= 1, we see that D(1) = 0. Any element whose derivative is zero is called a constant
element.

Example 2.8. Let

Then under usual addition and multiplication of matrices, S is a semiring. Define a

given by
Then D is a derivation on S.

Example 2.9. Let S be any semiring. Consider the set S[x] of polynomials in the
ideterminate x over S. Under usual addition and multiplication of polynomials S[x] is
a semiring. For any f (x) = a0 + a1 x + a2 x2 + · · · + an xn ∈ S[x] define the
map D : S → S by
D(f (x)) = a1 + 2a2 x + 3a3 x2 + · · · + nan xn−1 .

Then D is a derivation on S[x].

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3. α -Derivations in Semirings:
Definition 3.1. Let (S, +, —) be a semiring . Let α be a automorphism of S. An
additive mapping D : S → S is said to be an α -derivation if
D(xy) = α(x)D(y) + D(x)y, ∀x, y ∈
S.
Example 3.2. Let

Then under usual addition and multiplication of matrices, S is a semiring. Define a map

given by

Then D is a derivation on S.

Define α : S → S given by

Then D is a α -derivatiion on S .

Lemma 3.3. Let D be an additive endomorphism of a semiring S . Then D is an

α - derivation iff D(xy) = D(x)y + α(x)D(y), ∀x, y ∈ S.
Proof. Let D be an α -derivation on S. Then ∀x, y ∈ S D(xy) = α(x)D(y) + D(x)y
Now, D(x(y + y)) = α(x)D(y + y) + D(x)(y + y)
= α(x)(2D(y)) + D(x)2y = 2(α(x)D(y) + D(x)y) (1)
Also D(xy + xy) = 2D(xy) = 2(α(x)D(y) + D(x)y) (2)
From (1) and (2 ) we get

α(x)D(y) + D(x)y = D(x)y + α(x)D(y).

The converse follows easily.

Remark 3.4. Let D be an α -derivation on a semiring S . Then ∀x, y, x ∈ S
(i) (α(x)D(y) + D(x)y)z = α(x)D(y)z + D(x)yz.

(ii) (D(x)y + α(x)D(y))z = D(x)yz + α(x)D(y)z.

Lemma 3.5. Let D be an α -derivation on a prime semiring S . Let a ∈ S is such

that
aD(x) = 0 (or D(x)a = 0), ∀x ∈ S. Then a = 0 or D = 0.

Proof. From hypothesis, ∀x, y ∈ S, aD(xy) = 0 ⇒ a(α(x)D(y) + D(x)y) = 0

⇒ aα(x)D(y) + aD(x)y = 0 ⇒ aα(x)D(y) + 0 = 0.
As aD(x) = 0, aα(x)D(y) = 0, ∀x, y ∈ S ⇒ aSD(y) = 0, ∀y ∈ S.
Since S is prime, a = 0 or D = 0
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Int. J. Pure Appl. Sci. Technol., 2(1) (2011), 71-77.

Thus, if D(x)a = 0 , we have D(yx)a = 0.

Proceeding as above, we get the result.

Lemma 3.6. Let S be a 2 − torsion − f ree prime semiring. Let D be an α -derivation
on
S such that Dα = αD . Then D2 = 0 ⇒ D = 0.
Proof. Let D2 = 0. Then for x, y ∈ S, D2 (xy) = 0.
⇒ D(D(xy)) = 0
Expanding weget
⇒ α2 (x)D 2 (y) + D((α(x)))D(y) + D((α(x)))D(y) + D2 (x)y = 0
⇒ 2D(α(x))D(y) = 0 (Since D2 = 0 )
⇒ D(α(x))D(y) = 0 (Since S is 2 − torsion − f ree )
⇒ D(x)D(y) = 0 ( Since α is automorphism)
⇒ D = 0. (Using 3.5)

Lemma 3.7. Let D be an α -derivation on a semiring S . Let β be an automorphism of

S

which commutes with D . Then

αβ(x)D(β(y) = βα(x)βD(y), ∀x, y ∈ S.
Proof. Let x, y ∈ S .
Then
βD(xy) = β(α(x)D(y) + D(x)y) = βα(x)β(D(y)) +
βD(x)β(y) Also Dβ(xy) = D(β(x)β(y)) = α(β(x))D(β(y)) +
D(β(x))β(y) Since β commutes with D , from the above equations
we get βα(x)βD(y) = αβ(x)βD(y).

From the above lemmas, one can establish the following result which we are exploring
further.

Theorem 3.8. Let D1 be a α -derivation and D2 be a β - derivation on a 2-torsion free

prime semiring S such that α, β commute with D1 and with D2 . Then D1 D2 is an αβ -
derivation iff D1 = 0 or D2 = 0.
Proof. Let D1 D2 be an αβ -derivation. For x, y ∈ S
(D1 D2 )(xy) = (αβ(x)D1 D2 (y) + D1 D2 (x)y (1)
Now, (D1 D2 )(xy)
= D1 (D2 (xy))
= D1 (β(x)D2 (y) + D2 (x)y)
= D1 (β(x)D2 (y) + D1 (D2 (x)y)
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Int. J. Pure Appl. Sci. Technol., 2(1) (2011), 71-77.

= α(β(x))D1 (D2 (y)) + D1 (β(x))D2 (y) + α(D2 (x))D1 )(y) + D1 (D2 (x))y (2)

From (1) and (2),we get

D1 β(x)D2 (y) + αD2 (x)D1 (y) = 0 (3)

Replacing x by xD2 (z) in (3), we get

(D1 β)[xD2 (z)D2 (y) + (αD2 )(xD2 (z)]D1 (y) = 0
⇒ (βD1 )[xD2 (z)D2 (y) + (αD2 )(xD2 (z)]D1 (y) = 0
By Lemma 3.3
β[D1 (x)D2 (z) + α(x)D1 D2 (z)]D2 (y) + α[β(x)D 2 (z)
2 + D2 (x)D2 (z)]D1 (y) = 0
⇒ [βD1 (x)βD2 (z) + βα(x)βD1 D2 (z)]D2 (y) + [αβ(x)D 2 (z)
2 + αD2 (x)αD2 (z)]D1 (y) = 0
By Lemma 3.7
[D1 β(x) + D2 β(x) + αβD1 βD2 (z)]D2 (y) + [αβ(x)D 2 α(z)
2 + D2 α(x)D2 α(z)]D1 (y) = 0
By Lemma 3.5
D1 β(x)D2 β(z)D2 (y) + αβ(x)[D1 βD2 (z)D2 (y) + D 2 α(z)D
2 1 (y)] + D2 α(x)D2 α(z)D1 (y) = 0

(4)

Replacing x by D2 (z) in (3), we get

(D1 β)(D2 (z))D2 (y) + (αD2 )(D2 (z))D1 (y) = 0
⇒ D1 (βD2 (z))D2 (y) + D2 (α(z))D
2 1 (y) = 0 (5)
From equations (4) and (5), we get
D1 β(x)D2 β(z)D2 (y) + D2 α(x)D2 α(z)D1 (y) = 0 (6)
Replacing x by z in (3), we get
(D1 β)(z)D2 (y) + αD2 (z)D1 (y) = 0 (7)
Replacing y by β(z) in (3), we get
(D1 β)(x)D2 (β(z)) + (αD2 )(x)D1 (β(z)) = 0 (8)
Premultiply equation (7) by D2 α(x) , we get
D2 α(x)D1 β(z)D2 (y) + D2 α(x)D2 α(z)D1 (y) = 0 (9)

Post multiply equation (8) by D2 (y) , we get

D1 β(x)D2 β(z)D2 (y) + αD2 (x)D1 β(z)D2 (y) = 0 (10)
Adding equations (6) , (9) and (10), and simplifying

2[D1 β(x)D2 β(z)D2 (y) + D2 α(x)D2 α(z)D1 (y) + D2 α(x)D1 β(z)D2 (y)] = 0
Since S is 2-torsion free, we have

[D1 β(x)D2 β(z)D2 (y) + D2 α(x)D2 α(z)D1 (y) + D2 α(x)D1 β(z)D2 (y)] = 0
⇒ D2 α(x)D2 α(z)D1 (y) = 0
If D2 = 0, by Lemma 3.5 , we get D1 = 0, thus completing the proof.
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Int. J. Pure Appl. Sci. Technol., 2(1) (2011), 71-77.

4. Conclusions:
In this paper we discussed the notion of α− derivations on semirings and has
proved the analogues of Posner’s theorem. The notion of derivations on semirings can
be used to study the commutativity conditions of the semirings.

References

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[2] I. Kaplansky, An Introduction to Differential Algebra, Publications De
L’Institute De Mathematique, De L’University, De Nancago, 1957.
[4] Joseph Fels Ritt, Differential Algebra, AMS Colloquium Publications, Vol. 33,
1948.
[3] Jonathan S. Golan, Semirings and their Applications, Kluwer Academic
Press(1969).
[4] M. Chandramouleeswaran and V.Thiruveni, On Derivations of Semirings,
Advances in Algebra, Vol. 3(1) (2010), 123-131.