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A graded Hom functor construction consists of maps shifting degree by $j$. One homological convention is $d_{M}f=f{d}_C+(-1{)}^{j-1}{d}_{C^{\prime }}f$. Its degree-zero cycles are chain maps, and its degree-zero boundaries are null-homotopic chain maps, so its zeroth homology is the module of chain homotopy classes. This convention differs by degree-dependent signs from the alternative convention $d^{\prime }f-(-1{)}^{j}fd$.

Exterior multiplication $h_j(u)=e_j\wedge u$ is a chain homotopy between multiplication by $f_j$ and zero on a Koszul complex. A linear combination of these homotopies is a contracting homotopy when the generators span the unit ideal.

The tensor differential. Use homological grading, so each differential lowers degree by one. The tensor product of chain complexes hasfor $x\in C_p$. This Koszul sign rule givesThus the graded tensor product is a chain complex.

The Hom differential. Write $M_j={\prod }_p{\mathrm{Hom}}_R(C_p,C_{p+j}^{\prime })$. For a degree-$j$ element of this graded Hom complex of chain complexes, use the prescribed differentialThe next application uses degree $j-1$, soIn degree zero, $d_{M}f=f{d}_C-d_{C^{\prime }}f$, so its kernel consists exactly of chain maps. A degree-one element $h$ has $d_{M}h=h{d}_C+d_{C^{\prime }}h$, which is exactly the change between two chain maps related by a chain homotopy. ConsequentlyThis is natural: precomposition and postcomposition by chain maps preserve both degree-zero cycles and degree-zero boundaries.

The dual complex and the sign adjustment. Define the reversed dual chain complexHere $d_X\varphi$ is a functional on $C_{1-i}$, so it belongs to $X_{i-1}$, and $d_X^2=0$. The absence of an additional sign in $d_X$ is intentional.

Interpret finite generation of the free chain complexes as finiteness of their total graded free modules. Then only finitely many degrees occur, and the finite-free evaluation isomorphisms assemble into a graded isomorphismwhere $\varphi \in X_i$, $y\in C_j^{\prime }$, and this component is zero outside $C_{-i}$. The dual module construction and evaluation make $\psi$ natural. Finite rank is needed for evaluation to be an isomorphism; finite total support also makes the sums on the tensor side agree with the products on the Hom functor side.

Under $\psi$, the Hom functor differential has the formThe usual tensor product of chain complexes instead has second coefficient $(-1{)}^i$. SetThis is integer-valued for every $j\in \mathbb{Z}$, including negative $j$, and satisfies $\rho (j)-\rho (j-1)=j-1$. Conjugating the usual tensor differential by $A$ leaves the first term unchanged and changes its second coefficient to $(-1{)}^{i+j-1}$. Hence $d_M=\psi AD{A}^{-1}{\psi }^{-1}$, giving the sign conjugation for the tensor-Hom identificationThis is an isomorphism of chain complexes, not merely of their homology. If one instead assumes only degreewise finite rank with unbounded grading, the ordinary tensor need not identify with the product defining $M$; the finite-total convention is essential to this last conclusion.

For chain maps $f,g:C_{\ast }\to D_{\ast }$, a chain homotopy from $g$ to $f$ is a family of group homomorphisms $s_q:C_q\to D_{q+1}$ satisfyingIf $z$ is a chain cycle, then $(f-g)(z)=d^{D}s(z)$ is a chain boundary. Consequently $[f(z)]=[g(z)]$, so $\boxed{f_{\ast }=g_{\ast }}$ on every homology group.

Order the vertices of the simplex as $v_0,\dots ,v_n$. Its simplicial chain complex hasand zero groups otherwise. An arbitrary ordering represents the sign of the permutation times the increasing ordering. Its boundary operator isIn $d^2$ each face obtained by deleting the vertices in positions $r<t$ occurs twice. Deleting $r$ first gives sign $(-1{)}^r(-1{)}^{t-1}$, whereas deleting $t$ first gives $(-1{)}^t(-1{)}^r$. These signs are opposite, so all terms cancel. The case $d_0{d}_1=0$ follows directly from $d_0=0$. Thus $\boxed{d^2=0}$.

For the homology calculation, add the augmentation $\epsilon :S_0\to \mathbb{Z}$ sending every vertex to $1$. Regard $\mathbb{Z}$ as the group in degree $-1$ of an augmented chain complex. Define the simplicial cone chain contraction byIf the simplex does not contain $v_0$, expansion of its coned boundary gives $ds(\sigma )=\sigma -sd(\sigma )$. If it contains $v_0$, the only face on which $s$ is nonzero is the face omitting $v_0$, and $sd(\sigma )=\sigma$. In degree zero this uses the augmentation, and in degree $-1$ it says $\epsilon s_{-1}=1$. HenceEvery positive-degree chain cycle is therefore a chain boundary. In degree zero, the same identity says $z-\epsilon (z)[v_0]=d{s}_0(z)$, so the augmentation induces an isomorphism $H_0\to \mathbb{Z}$, with inverse $1\mapsto [v_0]$. Thus, including $n=0$,This is a direct chain homotopy calculation and uses no result about cellular homology.

Define a simplicial map $j:K\to L$ on vertices byThe image of every simplex is a simplex of $L$, and $j\circ i={\mathrm{id}}_L$. The maps $i\circ j$ and ${\mathrm{id}}_K$ are contiguous simplicial maps, since the union of their images on every simplex is contained in a simplex of $K$. Their realizations are therefore homotopic, so $|j|$ is a homotopy inverse of $|i|$.

Here is an explicit chain homotopy. Put $f=i_{\bullet }{j}_{\bullet }$ and use the orientations from part (b). DefineWe verifyIt is immediate on every vertex except $v_3$, where $\partial h_0(v_3)=v_3-v_1=v_3-f(v_3)$. It is immediate on the fixed edges. For the remaining edges,because $f(e_{23})=[v_2{v}_1]=-e_{12}$. Finally,since $f(t)$ is degenerate and hence zero. Thus $h$ is the required chain homotopy.

Chain maps $f,g:C_{\ast }\to C_{\ast }^{\prime }$ are chain homotopic when maps $h_n:C_n\to C_{n+1}^{\prime }$ satisfyFor a cycle $z$, $f(z)-g(z)=\partial h(z)$ is a boundary, so $f_{\ast }=g_{\ast }$ on homology.

Fix a vertex $e_0$ of ${\Delta }^n$ and define the cone operator by adjoining $e_0$ to an oriented simplex, with zero when it is already present. The simplicial boundary formula giveson the reduced chain complex. Thus its identity is null-homotopic andfor every $k$; equivalently, $H_0({\Delta }^n)\cong \mathbb{Z}$ and higher homology vanishes.

For the 2-skeleton $K$ of ${\Delta }^6$,It is connected and simply connected, so $H_0\cong \mathbb{Z}$ and $H_1=0$. Euler characteristic then givesFor $\sigma =(0123)(456)$, no vertex or edge is fixed. The only invariant 2-simplex is $[456]$, on which the 3-cycle preserves orientation, so the chain traces are $0,0,1$. The Lefschetz trace formula givestherefore

Let $f:(C,d)\to (C^{\prime },d^{\prime })$ be a chain map, soIf $x\in C_i$ is a cycle, then $d^{\prime }{f}_i(x)=f_{i-1}d(x)=0$, so $f_i(x)$ is a cycle. If $x=d_{i+1}y$ is a boundary, thenis a boundary. Henceis a well-defined induced map on homology.

The maps $f$ and $g$ are chain homotopic if there are homomorphismssuch thatFor a cycle $x$, this giveswhich is a boundary. Thus $f_{\ast }[x]=g_{\ast }[x]$ and $f_{\ast }=g_{\ast }$ on homology.

Now consider the proposed mapping cone $M(f)$. Applying its differential twice givesThe diagonal entries vanish because $C$ and $C^{\prime }$ are chain complexes, and the lower-left entry isby the chain-map identity. Therefore $d_f^2=0$ and $M(f)$ is a chain complex.

There is a short exact sequence of chain complexeswhereIts long exact sequence in homology isTo identify the connecting map, represent a class in $H_{i-1}(C)$ by a cycle $x$ and lift it to $(x,0)\in M(f{)}_i$. ThensoAt the preceding occurrence the degree is $i+1$, giving $(-1{)}^{i+1}{f}_{\ast }$. Hence the sequence is exactly

Finally suppose $f-g=d^{\prime }h+hd$. DefineA direct calculation givesThese are equal precisely because $f-g=d^{\prime }h+hd$. Thus $\Phi$ is a chain map. Replacing the plus sign in its definition by a minus sign gives its inverse, so $M(f)$ and $M(g)$ are isomorphic as chain complexes.