Question on notation in Eisenbud’s Commutative Algebra With a View Toward Algebraic Geometry Exercise 2.19(b)

abstract-algebracommutative-algebralocalizationnotation

I will restate the question here:

Let $R$ be a ring and let $M$ be an $R$-module. Suppose that $\{f_i\}$ is a set of elements of $R$ that generate the unit ideal. Prove:
If $m_i\in M[f_i^{-1}]$ are elements such that $m_i$ and $m_j$ go to the same element of $M[f_i^{-1}f_j^{-1}]$, then there is an element $m\in M$ such that $m$ goes to $m_i$ in $M[f_i^{-1}]$ for each i.

I am confused about the notation $M[f_i^{-1}f_j^{-1}]$. If it is indeed the localization with respect to the product, then if $m_i=n_i/f_i^{k_i}$, am I to view $m_i\in M[f_i^{-1}f_j^{-1}]$ as $n_if_j^{k_i}/(f_if_j)^{k_i}$? Otherwise, does he mean $M[f_i^{-1}f_j^{-1}]=M[\{f_i,f_j\}^{-1}]$?

Does anyone have insight into this notation? From other questions on this site it seems that he means the former, but I am still confused what he means by "
$m_i$ in $M[f_i^{-1}f_j^{-1}]$". Does anyone have insight into this?

Best Answer

It means either of the following things, which are all canonically isomorphic (here, canonically = uniquely if you require that it respects the map coming from $M$):

$M[(f_if_j)^{-1}]$, $M[f_i^{-1}][f_j^{-1}]$, $M[\{f_i,f_j\}^{-1}]$

In particular, you have a morphism $M[f_i^{-1}]\to M[f_i^{-1}][f_j^{-1}]$ and in particular $m_i$ (an $m_j$) is sent to someone in the latter.

If you want to view it as $M[(f_if_j)^{-1}]$, then indeed, you will have that the image of $m_i = \frac{n_i}{f_i^{k_i}}$ is $\frac{n_if_j^{k_i}}{(f_if_j)^{k_i}}$

But you donw't have to view it that way, you can also simply say it's $\frac{m_i}{1}$ for instance (that's the $M[f_i^{-1}][f_j^{-1}]$ point of view) or just $\frac{n_i}{f_i^{k_i}}$ (that's the $M[\{f_i,f_j\}^{-1}]$ point of view)

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