Prove an inverse and identity of a group exists

abstract-algebragroup-theoryinversesemigroups

A set $G$ has an operation $\ast$ and is closed and associative under that operation.

(a) there exists $e$ in $G$ such that $a \ast e=a$
Prove $e$ is the identity by showing $e\ast a=a$

(b) For all $a$ in $G$ there exists $b$ such that $a \ast b=e$
Prove $b$ is an inverse by showing $b \ast a=e$

For (a) I tried $e \ast e=e$, $e \ast a \ast e= a \ast e$, and $e \ast a = a$. But I'm not sure if that's allowed since I'm very new to abstract still.

For (b) I'm completely stumped. My professor gave the hint to start with $b \ast a$ and develop $e$ but I keep thinking to do it via commutative ways which I know isn't guaranteed to happen in a group. Is there a way to manipulate associativity and closure to get there?

Any help is appreciated.

Best Answer

Consider the example of $\ast$ such that $x\ast y = x$ for all $x,y$ over some set $G$ with at least two distinct elements.

Clearly, this operation is closed.

Clearly, there exists a right-identity (and in fact, everything is a right identity) $e$ such that $x\ast e = x$ for all $x$.

It should also be clear that this operation is infact associative as $(x\ast y) \ast z = x\ast z = x = x\ast y = x\ast (y\ast z)$

However, so long as $G$ has at least two distinct elements should be clear that there is no left-identity as for any proposed left identity $\ell$ and $x$ not equal to $\ell$, you would have $\ell \ast x = \ell$, not $x$.


This all shows that the conditions of closure, associativity, and existence of right identity alone are not enough to prove the existence of left-identity. For that, one would need additional assumptions.