Write uniquely as using part (i). For each , the equality becomes
The coefficient uniqueness from part (i) gives for every , so each belongs to the center of an associative algebra . Consequently .
Choose a basis of the vector space and rewrite . For , commuting with gives
Extend the linearly independent family to a basis of and apply its dual basis to the first factor. It follows that for every , hence . This proves .
Conversely, if and , then
The pure tensors span the tensor product, so is central, as is every sum of such pure tensors. Therefore the center of a tensor product of associative algebras is
These tensor products are identified with their natural vector subspaces of ; extending bases justifies these embeddings over the field .