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An abelian group is a group whose group operation is commutative: $gh=hg$ for every $g,h\in G$. Thus rearranging a finite sequence of operations preserves the result. Associativity already permits changing parentheses; commutativity additionally permits exchanging the elements.

The additive integers, the additive real numbers, and every cyclic group are abelian groups. Additive notation is often convenient: the identity element is written $0$, the inverse element of $a$ is $-a$, and $a+b=b+a$. It does not force an element to be an ordinary number: in $C_2\times C_2$, an element is a pair of binary coordinates, added componentwise modulo two.

Commutativity is useful because an integer linear combination of chosen group elements depends only on their coefficients, rather than on the order in which the operations were performed. The Fundamental theorem of finitely generated abelian groups turns this simplicity into a classification by cyclic groups. However, commutativity does not imply that a single generator of a group suffices: the Klein four-group is the smallest counterexample, as the cyclic group of order four and Klein four-group demonstrate.

A finite abelian group combines a finite set of reversible operations with commutativity. All finite cyclic groups qualify, but direct products of groups supply examples that need more than one generator of a group. The Fundamental theorem of finitely generated abelian groups says that every finite abelian group is a direct product of groups of finite cyclic groups; the finite case has no infinite cyclic factors.^[ref]

These factors distinguish different ways to have the same total number of states. A single four-position dial gives $C_4$, while two independent binary switches give $C_2\times C_2$. Both have four states and commutative composition, yet only the dial permits a single operation whose repetition visits all four states. The following Cayley tables make that distinction visible without relying on the labels alone.

The Fundamental theorem of finitely generated abelian groups writes $A={\mathbb{Z}}^r\oplus F$ with $F$ finite. Reduction modulo a prime contains $(\mathbb{Z}/p\mathbb{Z}{)}^r$, so a vanishing quotient forces $r=0$. Conversely multiplication by a prime coprime to $|F|$ is bijective on $F$. Finite generation matters: the nonzero divisible group $(\mathbb{Q},+)$ satisfies $p\mathbb{Q}=\mathbb{Q}$ for every prime and is not finitely generated, since any finite list of rational generators has a common denominator.

The Ohnishi orderability criterion states that, for each finite list $g_1,\dots ,g_n\ne 1$, there are signs ${\epsilon }_i\in \{-1,1\}$ such that the semigroup of nonempty products of conjugates of $g_i^{{\epsilon }_i}$ does not contain $1$. The conjugates are essential for a two-sided invariant total order. Necessity follows by choosing all signed elements positive: their conjugates and nonempty products are still positive.

For sufficiency, consider the compact product $\{+,-{\}}^{G\setminus \{1\}}$. Impose the closed conditions that an inverse has the opposite sign, that conjugation preserves sign, and that a product of two positive elements is positive whenever it is nonidentity. A positive pair cannot multiply to the identity because of the inverse condition. Each condition uses finitely many coordinates. Given finitely many conditions, collect every nonidentity element appearing in them into a finite list and choose signs using the criterion. These signs satisfy the conditions: an incorrectly negative product would contribute its positive inverse to the generated semigroup, producing identity with the positive factors; an incorrect conjugate or inverse gives the same contradiction. Extend the signs arbitrarily to the remaining coordinates. Thus the finite intersection property and compactness give a global sign assignment. Its positive elements form a conjugation-invariant semigroup $S$ with $S\cap S^{-1}=\varnothing$ and $S\cup S^{-1}=G\setminus \{1\}$. Defining $a<b$ by $a^{-1}b\in S$ gives the required linearly ordered group.

Restriction shows that every finitely generated subgroup of an orderable group is orderable. Conversely, suppose every such subgroup is orderable. If the criterion failed on $g_1,\dots ,g_n$, each of the finitely many sign choices would have an identity witness made of finitely many conjugates. Collect all $g_i$ and all conjugating elements in these witnesses into one finitely generated subgroup $H$. An order on $H$ supplies one positive sign choice, but its corresponding witness is a nonempty product of positive elements in $H$, a contradiction. Hence the criterion holds in $G$.

Finally, a finitely generated subgroup of a torsion-free abelian group is ${\mathbb{Z}}^r$ by the Fundamental theorem of finitely generated abelian groups. Its lexicographic order is two-sided invariant. Applying the local-to-global conclusion proves that every torsion-free abelian group admits the required order.

The Fundamental theorem of finitely generated abelian groups states that every such group is isomorphic towith uniquely determined rank and invariant factors, allowing an empty finite part. Modulo $pA$, the free summand contributes $(\mathbb{Z}/p\mathbb{Z}{)}^r$. If $A/pA=0$ for some prime, this forces $r=0$, so $A$ is finite. Conversely, if $A$ is finite, choose a prime $p$ coprime to $|A|$. Bezout's identity gives an integer $b$ with $bp\equiv 1(\mathrm{mod}|A|)$. Since $|A|$ kills every element, multiplication by $p$ is onto, with inverse multiplication by $b$. Hence $pA=A$. This proves $\boxed{A\text{ finite}⟺A/pA=0\text{ for some prime }p}$ under finite generation.

For the requested nonzero example use the additive divisible group $A=\mathbb{Q}$. Each rational $q$ equals $p(q/p)$, so $p\mathbb{Q}=\mathbb{Q}$ for every prime. It is not finitely generated: a finite list of rational generators has a common denominator $D$, and every integral combination then lies in $D^{-1}\mathbb{Z}$. The rational $1/(2D)$ does not lie there. This proves non-finite-generation directly and shows why the hypothesis in finite generation detected by a prime quotient is essential.

A preadditive category has an abelian group of morphisms between each pair of objects, and composition is additive in both variables. An additive category is a preadditive category with a zero object and finite products in a category; equivalently one may require finite coproducts. The equivalence, and the stronger assertion that these constructions agree canonically, follow from the argument below. An abelian category is an additive category with kernels in a category and cokernels in a category, in which every monomorphism is a categorical kernel and every epimorphism is a categorical cokernel. A monomorphism with the first property is a normal monomorphism; an epimorphism with the second is a conormal epimorphism.

Let $P={\prod }_{i=1}^n{A}_i$, with projections $p_i$. There is a unique $i_j:A_j\to P$ with $p_i{i}_j={\delta }_{ij}{1}_{A_j}$, interpreting the other components as zero. Since every $p_j$ sends ${\sum }_i{i}_i{p}_i$ to $p_j$, the product's universal property givesGiven arrows $f_i:A_i\to B$, put $f={\sum }_i{f}_i{p}_i$. Then $f{i}_j=f_j$. Conversely any arrow with these restrictions equals $f{1}_P={\sum }_{i}f{i}_i{p}_i$, so it is uniquely this sum. Thus $(P,i_i)$ is a coproduct in a category. The empty product is the zero object and also the empty coproduct. The dual argument starts from coproducts and constructs projections; it proves the equivalent definition. Hence finite products and coproducts are the same biproducts, with the displayed identities giving the canonical identification.

For the image factorization in an abelian category, let $h:A\to B$, let $c:B\to Q$ be its cokernel, and let $i:I\to B$ be the kernel of $c$. Since $ch=0$, write $h=ie$. We prove that $e:A\to I$ is epic. Suppose $t:I\to Z$ satisfies $te=0$ and let $l:L\to I$ be its categorical kernel. Then $e=lr$ for some $r:A\to L$. The composite $il$ is monic and hence is a normal monomorphism, say $il=\ker z$ for $z:B\to W$. Since $zh=zilr=0$, the categorical cokernel property makes $z$ factor through $c$, and therefore $zi=0$. The categorical kernel property of $il$ gives $s:I\to L$ with $ils=i$. Cancellation of $i$ yields $ls=1_I$; since $l$ is monic this also gives $sl=1_L$. Thus $l$ is invertible and $t=0$. In a preadditive category, $ue=ve$ now implies $(u-v)e=0$, hence $u=v$. This proves $e$ is an epimorphism and supplies the required factorization.

For uniqueness, an epimorphism that is a categorical cokernel is the categorical cokernel of its own categorical kernel. Indeed, if $e=\mathrm{coker}r$ and $k=\ker e$, then $r$ factors through $k$; an arrow killing $k$ therefore kills $r$ and factors uniquely through $e$. Dually, a normal monomorphism is the categorical kernel of its own categorical cokernel. If $h=mp$ is any epi–mono factorization, monicity of $m$ gives $\ker p=\ker h$. Both $p$ and $e$ are consequently categorical cokernels of this same categorical kernel. Their universal properties give a unique isomorphism $\theta$ between the intermediate objects with $\theta p=e$, and cancellation of $p$ gives $i\theta =m$. Therefore the epi–mono factorization is unique up to the unique compatible isomorphism.

Here is an additive category with truncated primary torsion, with the prime fixed as $2$. Its objects are finitely generated abelian groups having no element of order $4$, and its morphisms are all group homomorphisms. Equivalently their $2$-primary torsion subgroup has exponent at most $2$. It is a full subcategory of abelian groups, closed under finite direct sums and subgroups. Its hom groups and bilinear composition are inherited, and the zero group and finite direct sums belong to it, so it is additive. Categorical kernels are ordinary subgroup categorical kernels, which are still finitely generated and have no element of order $4$.

To construct categorical cokernels, for an arbitrary finitely generated abelian group $G$ let $t_2(G)$ be its $2$-primary torsion subgroup, and defineThe Fundamental theorem of finitely generated abelian groups shows that this quotient lies in the subcategory: it leaves the free and odd-primary parts unchanged and replaces each cyclic $2$-primary summand by either $0$ or $\mathbb{Z}/2\mathbb{Z}$. Every homomorphism $G\to H$ to an allowed group kills $2t_2(G)$, because it sends $2$-primary torsion into a subgroup killed by $2$. Thus $G\to R(G)$ has the universal property of a reflection. For $f:A\to B$, its categorical cokernel in the subcategory isThis has exactly the categorical cokernel universal property by the preceding factorization. Finite categorical limits exist because equalizers are categorical kernels of differences and finite products exist. Finite colimits exist dually because coequalizers are categorical cokernels of differences and finite coproducts exist.

The epimorphisms in this example are precisely the surjective homomorphisms. A surjection is epic already in abelian groups. Conversely, if $f$ is epic in the subcategory, its categorical cokernel is zero, so $R(B/f(A))=0$. A nonzero finitely generated abelian group has nonzero reflection: a nonzero free or odd-primary summand survives, and a nonzero finite $2$-primary summand has a nonzero quotient modulo twice itself. Hence $B/f(A)=0$ and $f$ is surjective. Its ordinary categorical kernel belongs to the subcategory, and its quotient by that categorical kernel is its codomain, which also belongs to the subcategory. It is therefore the categorical cokernel of its categorical kernel. This proves that every epimorphism is conormal.

The monomorphismis not normal. Its categorical cokernel in this category is reduction modulo $2$, since $R(\mathbb{Z}/4\mathbb{Z})=\mathbb{Z}/2\mathbb{Z}$. The categorical kernel of that categorical cokernel is the inclusion $2\mathbb{Z}\hookrightarrow \mathbb{Z}$, whereas the image of $m$ is $4\mathbb{Z}$. A normal monomorphism is the categorical kernel of its own categorical cokernel, as proved above, so $m$ cannot be normal. In fact multiplication by $2$ is itself the categorical kernel of reduction modulo $2$, up to the identification $\mathbb{Z}\cong 2\mathbb{Z}$. Its composite with itself is multiplication by $4$. Thus this example already exhibits two normal monomorphisms whose composite is not normal.

For the general assertion, let $m:A\to B$ be a nonnormal monomorphism in any additive category of the specified kind. Put $c=\mathrm{coker}m$ and $k:K\to B$ be its categorical kernel, and factor $m=kg$. Both $m$ and $k$ are monic, so $g$ is monic. Set $d=\mathrm{coker}g$ and $l:L\to K$ be its categorical kernel. Then $k,l$ are normal, and $g=lr$ for some $r$.

Suppose their composite were normal, say $kl=\ker t$. Since $tm=tklr=0$, $t$ factors through $c$, whence $tk=0$. The categorical kernel property of $kl$ supplies $s:K\to L$ with $kls=k$; cancellation shows $ls=1_K$, and monicity makes $l$ an isomorphism. Because $dl=0$, this forces $d=0$. In a preadditive category, vanishing of the categorical cokernel of $g$ implies that $g$ is epic: any $u,v$ with $ug=vg$ have $u-v$ factor through the zero categorical cokernel. By hypothesis $g$ is therefore a categorical cokernel, and it is also monic. If $g=\mathrm{coker}a$, monicity and $ga=0$ force $a=0$; a categorical cokernel of a zero arrow is an isomorphism. Thus $g$ is invertible, making $m=kg$ normal, a contradiction. Consequently normal monomorphisms cannot be closed under composition in any such category; the explicit pair $k,l$ witnesses the failure.

Let $K=\ker \theta$. The subgroup correspondence for a surjective group homomorphism sends a subgroup $B\le H$ to ${\theta }^{-1}(B)$ and a subgroup $A\le G$ containing $K$ to $\theta (A)$. Inverse images are subgroups containing $K$, and images are subgroups. Surjectivity gives $\theta ({\theta }^{-1}(B))=B$. Conversely, if $K\le A$ and $\theta (g)\in \theta (A)$, choose $a\in A$ with $\theta (g)=\theta (a)$. Then $g{a}^{-1}\in K\le A$, so $g\in A$. Thus ${\theta }^{-1}(\theta (A))=A$. These two assignments are inverse bijections.

For $C={\theta }^{-1}(B)$, the map of left coset setsis well defined and onto. If $\theta (g_1)B=\theta (g_2)B$, then $\theta (g_2^{-1}{g}_1)\in B$, so $g_2^{-1}{g}_1\in C$ and $g_{1}C=g_{2}C$. Hence it is injective, provingNo normality of $B$ is required; these are coset sets, not necessarily quotient groups.

The abelianization is $\overline{G}=G/[G,G]$, where the commutator subgroup is generated by the commutators $[x,y]=x^{-1}{y}^{-1}xy$. Conjugating a commutator gives another commutator, so this subgroup is normal. In the quotient all commutators are trivial, and therefore the quotient is abelian. If $N⊲G$ and $G/N$ is abelian, every commutator lies in $N$, so $[G,G]\le N$. Henceis well defined and satisfies $\pi =\tilde{\pi }\circ q$, where $q:G\to \overline{G}$ is the natural map. It is uniquely determined because $q$ is onto. This is the universal factorization property of abelianization.

Now write $S_i$ for the unique index-$i$ subgroup of $S$. Since conjugation preserves index, as shown in part (ii), $g{S}_i{g}^{-1}=S_i$ for every $g\in S$. Thus every $S_i$ is normal. For each prime $p$ the quotient $S/S_p$ has order $p$ and is cyclic, so there is a surjection $S\to C_p$. Being an abelian quotient, it factors through $\overline{S}$.

The abelianization is finitely generated because $S$ is. By the Fundamental theorem of finitely generated abelian groups,where $T$ is finite. If $r=0$, choose a prime $p>|T|$. The finite group $T$ could not surject onto the order-$p$ group $C_p$, contradicting the preceding surjections. Hence $r\ge 1$, and projection from a free coordinate supplies

Every subgroup of finite index in $\overline{S}$ has an inverse image of the same index in $S$, so there cannot be two different subgroups of any given finite index in $\overline{S}$. If $r\ge 2$, reduction modulo a prime $p$ in the first and second free coordinates gives two distinct surjective maps to $C_p$ with different kernels: the first basis vector lies in one kernel but not the other. Both kernels have index $p$, a contradiction. Therefore $r=1$.

If $T\ne 1$, choose a prime $p$ dividing its order. The decomposition of a finite abelian group into cyclic factors gives a surjection $\chi :T\to C_p$. In $\mathbb{Z}\oplus T$, the mapshave distinct index-$p$ kernels, again distinguished by $(1,0)$. This is another contradiction, so $T=1$. We have proved uniqueness of finite-index subgroups forces infinite cyclic abelianization:

A residually finite group is one in which every nonidentity element has nonidentity image under some homomorphism to a finite group. Equivalently, the intersection of all finite-index normal subgroups is trivial: a finite separating map has such a kernel, and conversely quotienting by such a normal subgroup gives a finite separating map.

Choose the surjection $\sigma :S\to \overline{S}\cong \mathbb{Z}$. For each positive integer $i$, the subgroup ${\sigma }^{-1}(i\mathbb{Z})$ has index $i$ and hence equals $S_i$. Its kernel $[S,S]$ is therefore contained in every finite-index subgroup. Indeed,If $S$ is residually finite, this intersection is trivial. Thus $[S,S]=1$ and $\sigma$ is an isomorphism. The residually finite group with one subgroup of each finite index is infinite cyclic conclusion isResidual finiteness is used exactly to eliminate the commutator subgroup that all finite quotients would otherwise fail to detect.

The Fundamental theorem of finitely generated abelian groups says that every finitely generated abelian group is isomorphic toThe rank of an abelian group $r$ and the invariant factors $d_j$ are uniquely determined, with the finite summand allowed to be absent. Equivalently, one can decompose the torsion subgroup into cyclic groups of prime-power orders. The infinite cyclic part and torsion part must both be included in the statement.

The Fundamental theorem of finitely generated abelian groups expresses every finite abelian group of this order as a product of cyclic groups of prime-power order. Their exponents correspond to the partitions of an integer $4$:These are pairwise nonisomorphic: the largest order of a group element distinguishes all except the two groups with largest element order $p^2$, and those have respectively $p^2$ and $p^3$ elements annihilated by multiplication by $p$. The classification exhausts the possibilities, so there are five isomorphism classes.

For each prime number $p$, reduction of the mapping cone is the mapping cone of the reduced chain map. Part (a), whose proof works over any coefficient ring, therefore givesEvery $M_i$ is a finitely generated free abelian group. Multiplication by $p$ consequently gives a short exact sequence of chain complexesThe neighboring terms $H_{i+1}(M\otimes {\mathbb{F}}_p)$ and $H_i(M\otimes {\mathbb{F}}_p)$ in its long exact sequence in homology both vanish. Thus multiplication by $p$ on $H_i(M)$ is an isomorphism for every prime number $p$.

The group $H_i(M)$ is a finitely generated abelian group, since it is a quotient of a subgroup of $M_i$. Write it, using the Fundamental theorem of finitely generated abelian groups, aswith $T_i$ finite. If $b_i>0$, multiplication by any prime number is not surjective. If $T_i\ne 0$, choose a prime number dividing its order; multiplication by that prime is not injective. Both contradict the preceding isomorphism. Hence $H_i(M)=0$ for every $i$.

Applying part (a) integrally now proves the stronger natural conclusionThis is prime coefficient detection of quasi-isomorphisms. The finite-generation hypothesis is used precisely when excluding nonzero groups on which every prime acts invertibly.

Let $L=F({\mu }_n)$. Its Galois group embeds into $(\mathbb{Z}/n\mathbb{Z}{)}^{\times }$, by sending an automorphism to the exponent in its action on ${\zeta }_n$. It is therefore finite abelian, of order dividing $\phi (n)$. The finite case of the Fundamental theorem of finitely generated abelian groups supplies a subgroup chain whose successive quotients are cyclic of prime order $\ell$. Every such $\ell <n$, since $\ell \le \phi (n)<n$ for $n>1$ (and for $n=2$ the possible prime is $2$, whose roots of unity already lie in every characteristic-zero field). Thus every intermediate base contains ${\mu }_{\ell }$, because $F$ contains all roots of unity of orders smaller than $n$.

Each cyclic degree-$\ell$ step $E^{\prime }/E$ is a Kummer extension. Here is the relevant criterion explicitly. For a generator $\sigma$ and a primitive $\ell$th root $\zeta \in E$, the operator ${\sum }_{j=0}^{\ell -1}{\zeta }^{-j}{\sigma }^j$ is not identically zero, by linear independence of distinct field automorphisms. Choose its nonzero value $a$; then $\sigma (a)=\zeta a$, so $a^{\ell }\in E$ and $a\notin E$. Since the degree is prime, $E^{\prime }=E(a)$ is obtained by adjoining an $\ell$th radical. Applying this to the subgroup chain proves $F({\mu }_n)/F$ is a succession of Kummer extensions.

Finally use strong induction on $n$, for arbitrary characteristic-zero base fields. Successively adjoining the roots ${\zeta }_1,\dots ,{\zeta }_{n-1}$ is contained in a Kummer tower by the induction hypothesis, applied over each current base. The just-proved assertion then adjoins ${\zeta }_n$ by further Kummer steps. Hence any cyclotomic extension is contained in a Kummer tower. In the given cyclotomic-and-Kummer tower for a soluble extension, replace every cyclotomic step by such a tower; enlarge subsequent steps by compositum with the new intermediate fields. Base change preserves radical adjunction and the requisite roots of unity, possibly making a step trivial. Thus every finite soluble extension is contained in a succession of Kummer extensions.

An elliptic curve works over every algebraically closed field, including one algebraic over a finite field. Give it explicitly in ${\mathbb{P}}^2$ byIn the first case the only point at infinity is $O=[0:1:0]$, where the derivative with respect to $z$ is nonzero. In the affine chart $z=1$, a singular point of an algebraic variety would have $y=0$, $x^3-x=0$, and $3x^2-1=0$. The possible roots $x=0,1,-1$ cannot satisfy the last equation in characteristic different from $2$: at $0$ it is $-1$, and at $\pm 1$ it is $2$. In the second case the three homogeneous partial derivatives are $x^2,z^2,y^2$, up to harmless signs, and cannot vanish simultaneously at a projective point. Thus both cubics are smooth varieties. A reducible plane cubic would have intersecting positive-degree components by Bézout theorem, and be singular at an intersection; therefore these smooth cubics are irreducible varieties. The genus-degree formula gives $g=(3-1)(3-2)/2=1$. With the marked point $O$ they are elliptic curves.

For a smooth algebraic curve, its divisor class group is its Picard group. Its degree-zero subgroup isThe map $P\mapsto [P-O]$ gives an isomorphism of abelian groupsTo recall why it is a bijection, Riemann-Roch theorem in geometric genus one says every degree-one divisor class has exactly one independent section: a canonical divisor has degree zero, so the dual degree-$-1$ term has no section. Thus the class contains one effective divisor on an algebraic curve of degree one, namely a point $P$, and that point is unique. Translating by $-O$ gives the claimed bijection; this is precisely the chord-and-tangent group law on the elliptic curve.

Choose a prime integer $\ell$ different from $\mathrm{char}k$. The multiplication-by-n morphism $[\ell ]:E\to E$ has derivative $\ell$ times the identity at $O$, so it is nonconstant. A nonconstant morphism of algebraic varieties between smooth projective curves is surjective: its image is closed by proper morphism and cannot have algebraic dimension zero. Since $k$ is an algebraically closed field, this makes $[\ell ]$ surjective on $k$-points. ThereforeYet $E(k)$ is infinite. For each $x\in k$, the affine equation has a solution for $y$ in the algebraically closed field; since $k$ is infinite, this gives infinitely many points.

By the Fundamental theorem of finitely generated abelian groups, a finitely generated abelian group $A$ satisfying $A=\ell A$ has no free part and is a finite torsion group of order prime to $\ell$. The infinite group $E(k)$ cannot have this property while being finitely generated. Thus ${\mathrm{Pic}}^0(E)$ is not finitely generated. A subgroup of a finitely generated abelian group is finitely generated, soThis proof uses divisibility and infinitude, rather than uncountability, so it remains valid over countable algebraically closed fields.

The group presentation gives the quotient group ${\mathbb{Z}}^3$ by the subgroup generated by the rows ofFor the Smith normal form, the first determinantal divisor is the greatest common divisor of all entries, namely $3$. The nonzero two-by-two matrix minors are $\pm 27$, so the second determinantal divisor is $27$. The third row is the second minus the first, and a nonzero minor shows the rank is exactly two. Consequently the nonzero invariant factors are $3$ and $27/3=9$, with one free generator. The Fundamental theorem of finitely generated abelian groups givesAn element killed by $3$ has zero free coordinate, arbitrary coordinate in $\mathbb{Z}/3\mathbb{Z}$, and coordinate $0,3$ or $6$ in $\mathbb{Z}/9\mathbb{Z}$. There are nine such elements. Removing the identity leaves eight elements of order three.

Galois cohomology and the finite division quotient. Let $K$ be a number field, $G_K=\mathrm{Gal}(\overline{K}/K)$ with its profinite topology, and $M$ a discrete continuous $G_K$-module. Its Galois cohomology is continuous group cohomology. In degrees zero and one,Thus a crossed homomorphism measures the failure of a choice to be Galois-invariant, and changing the choice changes the cocycle by a coboundary. A short exact sequence of such modules gives a long exact sequence in group cohomology. The connecting map sends an invariant element to the cocycle obtained by lifting it and comparing its Galois translates.

For an elliptic curve $E/K$ and $n\ge 2$, multiplication by $n$ is surjective on $E(\overline{K})$ and has kernel $E[n]$. The Kummer exact sequence of an elliptic curve therefore givesExplicitly, choose $nQ=P$ and set $\kappa (P)(\sigma )=\sigma Q-Q$. Replacing $Q$ changes this by a coboundary; replacing $P$ by $P+nR$, $R\in E(K)$, does not change it. If its class is zero, some torsion translate of $Q$ is Galois-invariant, so $P\in nE(K)$. This proves injectivity of the Kummer map of an elliptic curve.

The whole group $H^1(K,E[n])$ need not be finite. The crucial restriction is ramification. Let $S$ contain the finite primes of bad reduction of an elliptic curve and those dividing $n$. At $v\notin S$, good reduction and prime-to-residue-characteristic multiplication imply that every division point of a local point is in an unramified extension, by the formal-group lifting argument. Thus every global Kummer class restricts trivially to inertia there.

Choose a finite Galois extension $L/K$ containing $E[n]$ and the $n$th roots of unity, and enlarge $S$ to include its ramified primes. Over $L$, the torsion module is constant and can be identified with ${\mu }_n^2$. By Kummer theory,For classes unramified outside the primes $S_L$ above $S$, valuations outside $S_L$ must be divisible by $n$. Their restriction images therefore lie in $L(S_L,n{)}^2$, the square of an S-unramified power class group. Its finiteness can be seen without assuming the Mordell-Weil theorem: the finiteness of S-unramified Kummer classes follows fromThe S-unit group is finitely generated by the Dirichlet unit theorem and its valuations at $S_L$. The localized ideal class group is a quotient of the ordinary ideal class group of $L$, which is finite by the finiteness of the ideal class group. The Minkowski bound for ideal classes supplies an integral ideal of bounded norm in each class, and only finitely many integral ideals have bounded norm.

The kernel of restriction from $H^1(K,E[n])$ to $H^1(L,E[n])$ is also finite: a cocycle trivial after restriction can, after subtracting a coboundary, be made to factor through the finite group $\mathrm{Gal}(L/K)$. There are only finitely many maps from that group to the finite module $E[n]$. This is the finite-extension kernel of a Kummer map mechanism. Consequently the possible Kummer classes form a finite set, provingThis is the Weak Mordell-Weil theorem. Imposing membership in the local Kummer image at every place refines the finite unramified collection to the n-Selmer group. Its relation with the obstruction to a globally rational point iswhere the last group is the $n$-torsion of the Tate–Shafarevich group. Thus local solubility gives a finite computable upper bound but can leave a genuine global obstruction.

Heights and finite generation. For the other essay, normalize the absolute values on a field $K$ so that the product formula holds. The Absolute logarithmic Weil height of $[x_0:x_1]\in {\mathbb{P}}^1(K)$ isAt the infinite places the local degrees are one or two and the usual real or complex modulus is used. The product formula makes this independent of scaling; it is also unchanged by extending $K$. Over $\mathbb{Q}$, using coprime integral coordinates gives $h([u:v])=\log \max (|u|,|v|)$, the naive height on the projective line. The Northcott theorem says that points of bounded height and bounded field degree form a finite set; in particular this holds over the fixed field $K$. One way to see the finiteness is the height-Mahler measure formula: for an algebraic number of degree $d$, the coefficients of its primitive minimal integer polynomial are bounded by binomial factors times $\exp (dh)$. Bounds on $d$ and $h$ therefore leave only finitely many integer polynomials and hence only finitely many algebraic numbers.

Set $h_E(P)=h(x(P))$ for $P\ne O$, and $h_E(O)=0$. Since $x:E\to {\mathbb{P}}^1$ has degree two, bounded $h_E$ gives only finitely many points of $E(K)$. The height growth under a morphism of the projective line states that a degree-$d$ morphism gives $h(f(t))=dh(t)+O(1)$. The upper bound follows from its homogeneous coordinate polynomials; the lower bound follows from their having no common zero, using a resultant identity at each place. Applied to the degree-four duplication map, it gives a uniform constant $C$ withConsequently $4^{-j}{h}_E(2^{j}P)$ is Cauchy: the absolute difference of consecutive terms is at most $C{4}^{-(j+1)}$. Define the canonical height of an elliptic curve byIt is nonnegative and satisfies $\hat{h}(2P)=4\hat{h}(P)$. The factor one-half is the conventional normalization for the divisor $(O)$, since the first-coordinate height belongs to $2(O)$.

The addition-divisor identity also gives the bounded-error height identityuniformly in $P,Q$. This is the height form of the identity for the sum and difference pullbacks of the line bundle associated to $2(O)$; it includes points where the affine addition formulas have a zero denominator. Apply it to $2^{j}P,2^{j}Q$, divide by $2\cdot 4^j$, and take the limit. Thus $\hat{h}$ satisfies the parallelogram law, and its polarization is a bilinear form, the height pairing. Nonnegativity implies the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality for that pairing, by evaluating its nonnegative quadratic polynomial on $mP+nQ$ for all integers $m,n$ and approximating real ratios by rational numbers. In particularThese properties do not presuppose finite generation. Bounded canonical height gives a finite set by the bounded difference and the Northcott theorem. Torsion points have canonical height zero. Conversely, if $\hat{h}(P)=0$, all $2^{j}P$ have bounded naive height, so two coincide; their difference makes $P$ torsion. Thus the height detects precisely the free part, once finite generation is proved.

Use the Weak Mordell-Weil theorem with $n=2$ and choose finitely many coset representatives $R_i$. Write $P=2Q+R_i$, and put $H={\max }_i\hat{h}(R_i)$. The height inequality yieldsIteration enters the finite set $\{P:\hat{h}(P)\le H+1\}$, since after $j$ steps the height is at most $H+2^{-j}\max (\hat{h}(P)-H,0)$. Unwinding $P=2Q+R_i$ expresses every point using that finite set and the $R_i$. This proves the canonical-height proof of Mordell-Weil finite generation and henceThe Fundamental theorem of finitely generated abelian groups supplies this decomposition. The Mordell-Weil theorem combines a finite quotient from arithmetic Galois cohomology with a contracting height descent; either ingredient alone would not establish finite generation.

Write $v$ for the cone vertex. The quotient is the topological mapping cone $C_f=Y{\cup }_{f}CX$. First assume $X\ne \varnothing$, as is implicit in having this vertex; a map then also forces $Y\ne \varnothing$.

Take the open cover consisting of the image of $X\times [0,2/3)$ and the image of $Y\bigsqcup (X\times (1/3,1])$. Denote these sets by $U,V$. The first contracts to $v$, the second has a deformation retraction onto $Y$, and $U\cap V\cong X\times (1/3,2/3)$ retracts onto $X$. Under these identifications the two inclusion maps induce the zero map into positive-degree homology of $U$ and $f_{\ast }$ into the homology of $V$. The Mayer–Vietoris theorem consequently gives, in positive degrees,The same assertion holds in degree zero, but needs care: the ordinary Mayer-Vietoris map isSince ${\epsilon }_Y{f}_{\ast }a={\epsilon }_{X}a$, its kernel equals $\ker f_{\ast }$. On quotienting $H_0(Z;G)$ by the direct summand $G[v]$, its cokernel becomes $\mathrm{coker}{f}_{\ast }$. That quotient is canonically identified with reduced homology by subtracting the augmentation times $[v]$. Thus the last nonzero part isIn particular the map from $H_0(Y;G)$ sends a component class $[y]$ to $[y]-[v]$. This proves the mapping cone exact sequence; finite generation of $G$ is not needed for this construction.

There is a literal empty-space exception in the printed hypotheses. If $X=\varnothing$ and $Y$ is a point, the given quotient is just $Y$, and the asserted degree-zero exact sequence would be $0\to G\to 0$. Thus the displayed reduced sequence presupposes nonempty $X$. It holds also for empty $X$ if one defines its cone to include a new isolated vertex. The later homology-isomorphism claim itself remains true for empty finite complexes, with the cases involving one empty complex dealt with directly in degree zero.

Now take nonempty finite CW complexes $X,Y$. Put $A_q={\tilde{H}}_q(Z;\mathbb{Z})$. The exact sequence giveswhere $H_{-1}=0$. All $A_q$ are finitely generated abelian groups, since the groups for $X,Y$ are finitely generated. Moreover, by exactness,The reduced universal coefficient theorem for homology givesIf all $A_q$ vanish, so does the middle term for every prime, and the exact sequence with coefficients proves that $f_{\ast }$ is an isomorphism modulo every prime. Conversely, those isomorphisms imply that the middle terms vanish, hence $A_q\otimes {\mathbb{F}}_p=0$ for every prime $p$. By the Fundamental theorem of finitely generated abelian groups, a nonzero free summand would survive modulo every prime, and a cyclic torsion summand would survive modulo a prime dividing its order. Thus $A_q=0$ for every $q$, provingThis argument uses the exact sequence to obtain finite generation; it does not assume in advance that the cone of an arbitrary continuous map is a finite CW complex.

Finally suppose $f$ is a cellular map. Keep the cells of $Y$, add the vertex $v$, and add a $(q+1)$-cell for the cone on every $q$-cell of $X$. Its top face attaches to $Y$ through $f$, and its other faces attach to cones on lower-dimensional cells. The cellular condition puts these attachments in the appropriate skeleton. This constructs a finite CW complex structure on $Z$.

Let $A_{\ast }=C_{\ast }^{\mathrm{cell}}(X)$ and $B_{\ast }=C_{\ast }^{\mathrm{cell}}(Y)$ be the ordinary cellular chain complexes, with $A_{-1}=0$. Orient each coned cell so that its boundary has the form $f_{\#}(e)-c(d_{A}e)$. Using $[y]-[v]$ as the reduced generator for each vertex of $Y$ givesIn particular ${\tilde{C}}_0^{\mathrm{cell}}(Z)=B_0$, and the boundary of a cone edge is its image vertex minus $v$. The chain map identity $d_B{f}_{\#}=f_{\#}{d}_A$ givesThis is the cellular chain complex of a mapping cone, equivalently the algebraic mapping cone with the displayed summand and sign conventions.

Write $x=g^{-1}h$ and $S(x)={\sum }_{\chi \in \hat{G}}\chi (x)$, where $\hat{G}$ is the character group of a finite abelian group. The Fundamental theorem of finitely generated abelian groups writes the finite group $G$ as a product of cyclic groups. A character of a cyclic group factor of order $r$ is determined by an arbitrary $r$th root of unity, so $|\hat{G}|=|G|$. This description also shows that the characters separate points: if $x\ne 1$, a nonzero coordinate of $x$ is detected by a character $\psi$ with $\psi (x)\ne 1$.

Multiplication by $\psi$ permutes $\hat{G}$, soFor $x\ne 1$ this forces $S(x)=0$. For $x=1$ every summand is one. Since $\chi (g{)}^{-1}\chi (h)=\chi (g^{-1}h)$, the character-sum cancellation lemma givesAll character values are roots of unity, so inversion here is also complex conjugation. This is the finite-abelian version of character orthogonality.

Present a finitely generated abelian group $G$ as the cokernel of an integer matrix $A:{\mathbb{Z}}^m\to {\mathbb{Z}}^n$. Changing $A$ by the invertible row and column operations used in its Smith normal form does not change the isomorphism type of the cokernel. Ifthenwhere factors with $d_i=1$ may be omitted. This is the Fundamental theorem of finitely generated abelian groups; the rank of an abelian group $r$ and invariant factors $d_i>1$ are unique.

By the Fundamental theorem of finitely generated abelian groups, writewith $F$ finite. Taking profinite completions givesIf $A\cong \mathbb{Z}$, this is plainly $\hat{\mathbb{Z}}$.

Conversely, suppose $\hat{A}\cong \hat{\mathbb{Z}}$. Reduction modulo a prime $p$ giveswhereas $\hat{\mathbb{Z}}/p\hat{\mathbb{Z}}\cong \mathbb{Z}/p\mathbb{Z}$. Choosing $p\nmid |F|$ first shows $r=1$. If $F\ne 0$, choosing a prime divisor $p$ of $|F|$ makes $F/pF\ne 0$, a contradiction. Thus $F=0$ and $A\cong \mathbb{Z}$.

By the Fundamental theorem of finitely generated abelian groups,with $T$ finite. If a nonzero element has a nonzero component in $T$, projection to $T$ separates it. Otherwise some integer coordinate is a nonzero $n$; choose a prime $p$ not dividing $n$ and reduce that coordinate modulo $p$. This gives a finite quotient in which the element survives, so every finitely generated abelian group is residually finite.