Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2012 iii Paper 25 8 a Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-07
Take any morphism and let be its categorical cokernel. Let be the categorical kernel of . Since , kernel universality gives with . The map is a monomorphism. We must establish the pseudo-epimorphism property of , rather than merely name an image.
Suppose satisfies . Let be its categorical kernel. Then for some . The composite is a monomorphism, so the hypothesis that every monomorphism is normal provides a map of which is a categorical kernel, up to its unique compatible isomorphism. Now . The categorical cokernel property of gives , and therefore .
Since is the categorical kernel of , the map factors through it: for some . Cancel the monomorphism to get . As is also a monomorphism, , so is an isomorphism. Finally , proving that is a pseudo-epimorphism.
ThusThe pseudo-epimorphism factorization through the kernel of a cokernel proof uses a pointed category, existence of categorical kernels and categorical cokernels, and normality of every monic map. It does not silently replace pseudo-epic cancellation against zero by the stronger epimorphism condition.
In a pointed category with categorical kernels and categorical cokernels, where every monomorphism is normal, every factors through as , with a pseudo-epimorphism. If , write . Then factors through , and the monic is a categorical kernel of some by normality. Since , the cokernel of forces . Hence factors through , forcing to be an isomorphism and therefore . This establishes the factorization without assuming the stronger abelian category axioms.