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I am reading the paper Cycles and symmetries of zero-divisors written by S. B. Mulay$^{\dagger}$ to study zero-divisor graphs, but there is a part that I cannot unterstand.

In the proof of theorem (2.1) in this paper, he says that for a commutative ring $R$ with identity and a nonzero zero-divisor $x$, if $ann(x) = \{x, -x, 0\}$, then it forces that $R$ is isomorphic to either $\mathbb{Z}_9$ or $\mathbb{Z}_3[X]/(X^2)$.

But I cannot understand that why it is true.

Can I get some idea?


$^{\dagger}$ Mulay, S. B. (2002). CYCLES AND SYMMETRIES OF ZERO-DIVISORS. Communications in Algebra, 30(7), 3533–3558. https://doi.org/10.1081/AGB-120004502

Gonçalo
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Monjey
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1 Answers1

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As noted in a comment, we need to add the hypothesis that $\operatorname{ann}(x)=\{x,-x,0\}$ and that these elements are distinct. Notice that we have $x^2=0$.

Let $r\in R$. Then $rx$ annihilates $x$, so $rx$ must be one of $x,-x,0$. If $rx=x$, then $(r-1)x=0$, and so $r-1$ is one of $x,-x,0$. Thus $r$ is one of $1+x,1-x,1$. After we consider the cases $rx=-x$ and $rx=0$, we see $R=\{-1,0,1,-1+x,x,1+x,-1-x,-x,1-x\}$. This shows that $R$ is generated as a ring by $x$.

There are now two ways to finish.

(Way 1) With a little more work, we can see that these elements are all distinct. [It helps to notice $2x\ne 0$ since $x\ne -x$, so $\pm2$ is not in $\operatorname{ann}(x)$.] The commutative rings with $9$ elements are $\mathbb{F}_9,\mathbb{Z}_3\times\mathbb{Z}_3,\mathbb{Z}_3[x]/(x^2),\mathbb{Z}_9$, and the first two have no nilpotent elements.

(Way 2) $2x\in\operatorname{ann}(x)$, so $2x$ is one of $0,x,-x$. If $2x=0$, then $x=-x$ and if $2x=x$, then $x=0$. Thus we must have $2x=-x$, i.e., $3x=0$. This in turn implies $3$ (as in $31_R$) is one of $0,x,-x$.

If $3=0$, then $R$ is an algebra over $\mathbb{Z}_3$, generated by $x$ with $x^2=0$. This is precisely the algebra $\mathbb{Z}_3[x]/(x^2)$.

If $x=\pm3\ne0$, then we have $0=3x=\pm 9$, so $R$ is an algebra over $\mathbb{Z}_9$ generated by $\pm3$. This is precisely $\mathbb{Z}_9$.

Allen Bell
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  • Thank you! I have a little question, can you tell me the method for proving that the rings you mentioned are only commutative rings with identity of 9 elements? – Monjey Apr 03 '25 at 07:49
  • You can search for "rings of order $p^2$"; for example, see [https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/305512/ring-of-order-p2-is-commutative], especially the answer by Georges Elencwajg. If you want to do it yourself, the key fact is that every ring of order $9$ is either semisimple or has nonzero Jacobson radical, which must have $3$ elements and square zero. – Allen Bell Apr 03 '25 at 17:22