Connected ring
In mathematics, especially in the field of commutative algebra, a connected ring is a commutative ring A that satisfies one of the following equivalent conditions:{{sfn|Jacobson|1989|loc=p 418}}
- A possesses no non-trivial (that is, not equal to 1 or 0) idempotent elements;
- the spectrum of A with the Zariski topology is a connected space.
Examples and non-examples
Connectedness defines a fairly general class of commutative rings. For example, all local rings and all (meet-)irreducible rings are connected. In particular, all integral domains are connected. Non-examples are given by product rings such as Z × Z; here the element (1, 0) is a non-trivial idempotent.
Generalizations
In algebraic geometry, connectedness is generalized to the concept of a connected scheme.
References
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- {{citation |last=Jacobson|first=Nathan |title=Basic algebra. II |edition=2 |publisher=W. H. Freeman and Company |place=New York |year=1989 |pages=xviii+686 |isbn=0-7167-1933-9 |mr=1009787}}
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