Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2005/iii/paper-7/1/ii/solution

Suppose were a left inverse of an algebra element , so . Then , and is invertible for all sufficiently large by the Neumann series. For such , is a product of invertibles, hence invertible. The equation then gives , a contradiction.
If instead , then , so is eventually invertible. Now is invertible, and again , a contradiction. This proves that a noninvertible limit of invertibles has neither type of one-sided inverse. No finite-dimensional assumption is used.

New to topics? Read the docs here!