K1 of a ring ($K_1(A)={\mathrm{GL}}_{\infty }(A)/E_{\infty }(A)$)

Stable invertible matrices, with stabilization $g\mapsto \mathrm{diag}(g,1)$, form the stable general linear group. Its elementary subgroup is its commutator subgroup, and the displayed quotient is its abelianization. Elementary matrices lift along any surjective ring map, even when arbitrary invertible matrices do not lift. Over a field, determinant identifies $K_1$ with its multiplicative unit group.

The union of finite invertible matrices under $g\mapsto \mathrm{diag}(g,1)$. Every element and relation occurs in a finite matrix size; adding identity blocks permits comparisons between different sizes without changing the stable class.

The subgroup generated by elementary transvections in finite matrix sizes, with identity stabilization. A third distinct index expresses each transvection as a commutator; stable block identities show that this subgroup is normal and that its quotient in the stable general linear group is abelian. Thus it is precisely the commutator subgroup.