Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2007 / iii / Paper 6 / 4 / Solution

The ring form of the Artin–Wedderburn theorem states that the following conditions on a unital ring $R$ are equivalent: $R$ is a semisimple ring; $R$ satisfies the descending chain condition on left ideals and $J(R)=0$; andwhere $s$ is finite, each $n_i\ge 1$, and each $D_i$ is a division ring. The factors are unique up to permutation and isomorphism. The zero ring may be included as the empty product. This theorem also implies the corresponding right-handed statements.

First prove the implication from the chain condition and zero Jacobson radical. Among finite intersections of maximal left ideals, choose a minimal one, say $L=L_1\cap \cdots \cap L_t$. Such a minimal intersection exists by the descending chain condition. Intersecting with any other maximal left ideal cannot make $L$ smaller, so $L$ is contained in every maximal left ideal. Thus $L\subseteq J(R)=0$. It follows that the map of left modulesis injective. Each quotient is a simple module.

For completeness, a submodule $N$ of a finite direct sum $V={⨁}_j{T}_j$ of simple modules is itself a finite direct sum of simple modules and is a direct summand of $V$. Choose a sum $W$ of coordinate summands, maximal among those with $N\cap W=0$. For any omitted coordinate summand $T_j$, simplicity gives $T_j\cap (N+W)=0$ or $T_j\subseteq N+W$. In the first case $N\cap (W\oplus T_j)=0$, contradicting maximality; hence every coordinate summand lies in $N+W$. Therefore $V=N\oplus W$. Projection onto $N$ shows $N$ is a finite sum of images of the $T_j$, each image zero or simple. Add these images successively, discarding any image already in the sum: simplicity makes each new intersection zero. This yields a direct-sum decomposition. Applying this argument to the displayed injection proves that the left regular module is a finite sum of simple modules.

Conversely, if the regular module is a direct sum of simple modules, that sum is finite because $1$ lies in a finite subsum and generates the whole regular module. Every left ideal, being a submodule, has the preceding decomposition and splitting property. Its chain lengths are bounded by the number of simple summands, so the descending chain condition holds. The Jacobson radical annihilates every simple summand of the regular module, hence annihilates $1$ and is zero. This identifies the first two conditions.

Write the finite decomposition using pairwise nonisomorphic simple left modules:Every simple module is a quotient of $R$, by sending $1$ to any nonzero vector, so this list includes every simple isomorphism class. The Schur lemma gives ${\mathrm{Hom}}_R(S_i,S_j)=0$ for $i\ne j$, and $E_i={\mathrm{End}}_R(S_i)$ is a division ring: any nonzero endomorphism has zero kernel and full image by simplicity. ConsequentlyEvery endomorphism of the left regular module is right multiplication by its value on $1$. Composition reverses multiplication of those values, so the left side is $R^{\mathrm{op}}$. Taking the opposite ring, and using transpose to identify $M_n(E{)}^{\mathrm{op}}$ with $M_n(E^{\mathrm{op}})$, gives the theorem's decomposition with $D_i=E_i^{\mathrm{op}}$. This keeps the left/right conventions explicit.

Conversely, the standard column module $D^n$ over $M_n(D)$ is simple: a nonzero coordinate of a vector can be inverted to construct a matrix sending it to any prescribed vector. The left regular module decomposes as the sum of its $n$ column ideals, each isomorphic to $D^n$. A finite product of these matrix rings is therefore a semisimple ring. This proves all implications. For uniqueness, the isomorphism classes of simple modules and their multiplicities in the regular module determine the numbers $n_i$ and the division rings $E_i^{\mathrm{op}}$. The multiplicity can also be recovered as the dimension of ${\mathrm{Hom}}_R(S_i,R)$ as a right $E_i$-module, so it does not depend on the chosen decomposition.

Now let $A=\mathbb{C}[G]$ for the finite group $G$. It has dimension $|G|$, with the elements of $G$ as a basis, so its left ideals satisfy the descending chain condition by their dimensions. The permitted assumption $J(A)=0$ makes the Artin–Wedderburn theorem applicable. Its decomposition is a complex-algebra decompositionwith each $D_i$ finite-dimensional over the central copy of $\mathbb{C}$. Each such division algebra is just $\mathbb{C}$. Indeed, for $d\in D_i$, finite dimensionality gives a nonzero polynomial relation $p(d)=0$ with complex coefficients. Factor $p$ into linear factors over $\mathbb{C}$. Their product at $d$ is zero, so the absence of zero divisors forces $d-\lambda =0$ for some scalar root $\lambda$. Thus every element is scalar.

The pairwise nonisomorphic simple modules of ${\prod }_i{M}_{n_i}(\mathbb{C})$ are the column modules ${\mathbb{C}}^{n_i}$, with all other factors acting as zero. Hence ${\dim }_{\mathbb{C}}{S}_i=n_i$. Taking complex dimensions gives