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An algebra isomorphism is a bijective linear map preserving multiplication and identity between two algebras over the same field. In classification of a square-zero extension of an algebra, an equivalence must additionally induce the identity on the prescribed quotient and kernel.

A block of an associative algebra with a finite decomposition of its identity is a two-sided direct summand $Ae$ corresponding to a primitive central idempotent $e$. Its identity is $e$, and it cannot be split into two nonzero algebras by central idempotents. For a group algebra of a finite group, this agrees with a block of a group algebra. Orthogonal primitive central idempotents give $A={⨁}_{i}A{e}_i$.

For an associative algebra $A$ over a field $k$, a derivation is a $k$-linear map $D:A\to A$ satisfying $D(ab)=D(a)b+aD(b)$. It is the case $M=A$ of a derivation into a bimodule; the order of factors matters when $A$ is noncommutative. Substituting $a=b=1$ gives $D(1)=0$. Such maps form a Lie algebra under the commutator $[D,E]=D\circ E-E\circ D$.

More generally, for a commutative ring $R$, a derivation from a commutative $R$-algebra $B$ into a $B$-module $M$ is an $R$-linear map $D:B\to M$ with $D(r)=0$ for $r\in R$ and $D(b{b}^{\prime })=bD(b^{\prime })+b^{\prime }D(b)$. The second term has this order because the algebra is commutative. Derivations of smooth functions are vector fields provide a geometric example.

A division algebra over a field $k$ is a division ring equipped with a unital algebra structure over $k$, with $k$ mapping into its center of an associative algebra. Every nonzero element is invertible; it need not be finite-dimensional over $k$.

A formal associative deformation is a unital $k[[t]]$-bilinear product continuous for the adic topology on $A[[t]]$ of the form $a\ast b=ab+{\sum }_{r\ge 1}{t}^r{\mu }_r(a,b)$. Each coefficient ${\mu }_r$ is a $k$-bilinear map $A\otimes A\to A$, and the whole product satisfies associativity. For an infinite-dimensional algebra, $A[[t]]$ is the completed tensor product ${\underleftarrow{\lim }}_{n}A\otimes k[t]/(t^n)$ and generally differs from the ordinary $A\otimes k[[t]]$.

For a nonzero finitely generated algebra over a field, choose a finite-dimensional generating vector subspace $V$ containing $1$. The dimension is $\mathrm{GKdim}A={\mathrm{limsup}}_{n\to \infty }\log ({\dim }_k{V}^n)/\log n$. Changing $V$ only rescales the filtration index by bounded factors. A nonzero finite-dimensional algebra has dimension zero; a polynomial ring in $r$ variables has dimension $r$. The zero algebra is often assigned dimension $-\infty$.

For a nonzero right module $M$ that is a finitely generated module, choose a finite-dimensional generating vector subspace $W$ and define ${\mathrm{GKdim}}_{A}M={\mathrm{limsup}}_{n\to \infty }\log ({\dim }_{k}W{V}^n)/\log n$, where $V$ generates the algebra and contains $1$. For a left module use $V^{n}W$. It is independent of these choices and measures polynomial-order growth of a generating filtration of a module.

With $s=(12)$, the idempotents $e_{\pm }=(1\pm s)/2$ split the right regular module into two three-dimensional projective modules. Their tops are respectively the trivial representation and sign representation. The nilpotent ideal $J(k{S}_3)$ ensures that any nonzero direct summand has nonzero top, so the one-dimensional tops make these projective modules indecomposable. Their successive radical series of a module factors are trivial, sign, trivial and sign, trivial, sign. This decomposition concerns right modules; the block of S3 in characteristic three remains a single algebra.

For a regular sequence $f_1,\dots ,f_r$ in a commutative ring $R$, its Koszul complex is the finite free projective resolution of $R/(f_1,\dots ,f_r)$ with terms ${\bigwedge }^j{R}^r$ and boundary map contracting by $(f_1,\dots ,f_r)$. Exactness follows by induction: append $f_r$ using the mapping cone for multiplication by $f_r$, which is injective on the preceding quotient. For a polynomial ring viewed as a bimodule, use the regular sequence $X_{i,\ell }-X_{i,r}$ in the enveloping algebra.

If an algebra $B$ is generated by a subalgebra $A$ that is a right Noetherian ring and one element $x$, and $A+xA=A+Ax$, then $B$ is a right Noetherian ring. The proof uses $F_n={\sum }_{i\le n}A{x}^i={\sum }_{i\le n}{x}^{i}A$ and, for each right ideal $I$, the ascending right ideals $L_n=\{a:a{x}^n\in I+F_{n-1}\}$. After these stabilize, finitely many lifts of generators for $L_0,\dots ,L_N$ generate $I$ by induction on degree. Neither unique normal forms nor an automorphism moving coefficients is required.