5.

Tensor Product for Modules 579

The rest of this section will be devoted to establishing some identities for tensor
product, together with their naturality, and to proving that the tensor product over
R of two R algebras, for a commutative ring R with identity, is again an R algebra.
Each identity involves setting up a homomorphism involving one or more tensor
products, and it is necessary to prove in each case that the homomorphism is an
isomorphism. For this purpose it is often inconvenient to prove directly that the
homomorphism has 0 kernel and is onto. In such cases one constructs what ought
to be the inverse homomorphism and proves that it is indeed a two-sided inverse.

Proposition 10.20. Let R be a ring with identity, let M be a unital right R

module, and let N be a unital left R module. Let R o be the opposite ring of R,
let M o be M regarded as a left R o module, and let N o be N regarded as a right
R o module. Then
M ⊗R N ◦ = N o ⊗ Ro M o

under the unique homomorphism of abelian groups carrying m ⊗ n in M ⊗ R N

into n ⊗ m in N o ⊗ R o M o . The isomorphism is natural in the variables M and N .
REMARK. To make the proof below a little clearer, we shall distinguish between
elements of M and M o , writing m in the first case and m o in the second case,
even though m o = m under our definitions. A similar notational convention will
be in force for N .
PROOF. The map (m, n) 6∈ n o ⊗ m o is additive in each variable and carries
(m, rn) to (rn)o ⊗ m o = n o r o ⊗ m o = n o ⊗r o m o = n o ⊗ (mr)o . This expression
is the image also of (mr, n), and hence (m, n) 6∈ n o ⊗ m o is R bilinear and has
an additive extension ϕ to M ⊗ R N . Arguing similarly, we readily construct a
homomorphism ϕ∪ : N o ⊗ R o M o ∈ M ⊗ R N . It is immediate that ϕ∪ is a two-
sided inverse to ϕ, and the isomorphism follows. For the naturality in M, suppose
that √ : M ∈ M ∪ is an R homomorphism. Write √ o for the homomorphism
with √ o (m o ) = (√(m))o . Then (1 ⊗ √ o )(ϕ(m ⊗ n)) = (1 ⊗ √ o )(n o ⊗ m o ) =
n o ⊗ √ o (m o ) = n o ⊗ (√(m))o = ϕ(√(m) ⊗ n) = ϕ((√ ⊗ 1)(m ⊗ n)). This
proves the naturality in the M variable, and naturality in the N variable is proved
similarly. §

Proposition 10.21. Let R be a ring with identity, let S be a nonempty set, let
Ms be a unital right R module for each s ∩ S, and let N be a unital left R module.
Then
MP L P
Ms ⊗ R N ◦ = (Ms ⊗ R N )
s∩S s∩S

as abelian groups, and the isomorphism is natural in the tuple ({Ms }s∩S , N ).
580 X. Modules over Noncommutative Rings

REMARKS. A similar conclusion holds if the direct sum occurs in the second
member of the tensor product, as a consequence of Proposition 10.20. The
naturality carries with it some additional conclusions. For example, if each Ms is
a unital (T, R) bimodule for a ring T with identity, then the displayed isomorphism
is an isomorphism of left T modules.
MQ L
Q . The map ({m s }s , n) 6∈ {m s ⊗ n}s is R bilinear from
PROOF s∩S Ms ⊆ N
into s∩S (Ms ⊗ R N ), and its additive extension ϕ is the homomorphism from
left to right in the displayed [Link] has ϕ({m s }s ⊗ n) = {m s ⊗ n}s .
To construct the inverse, let i s : Ms ∈M Qt∩S Mt Lbe the s th inclusion. Then
(m s , n) 6∈ i s (m s ) ⊗ n is R bilinear into M ⊗ RL N and has an additive
Q s
Ms∩S
extension carrying m s ⊗ n to i s (m s ) ⊗ n in s∩S Ms ⊗ R N . The universal
mapping property of direct sums of abelian
Q groups then gives
M Qus a corresponding
L
abelian-group homomorphism ϕ∪ : s∩S (Ms ⊗ R N ) ∈ s∩S Ms ⊗ R N . It
has ϕ∪ ({m s ⊗ n}s ) = {m s }s ⊗ n. It is immediate that ϕ∪ − ϕ fixes each {m s }s ⊗ n
and hence is the identity, and that ϕ − ϕ∪ fixes each {m s ⊗ n}s and hence is the
identity.
For the naturality let √s : Ms ∈ Ms∪ be an R homomorphism of right R
modules, and let 8 : N ∈ N ∪ be an R homomorphism of left R modules. Then
M L M L
ϕ ({√s }s ⊗ 8)({m s }s ⊗ n) = ϕ {√s (m s )}s ⊗ 8(n) = {√s (m s ) ⊗ 8(n)}s
= {√s ⊗ 8}s ({m s ⊗ n}) = {√s ⊗ 8}s (ϕ({m s } ⊗ n),

and naturality is proved. §

Proposition 10.22. Let R and S be rings with identity, let M be a unital right
R module, let N be a unital (R, S) bimodule, and let P be a unital left S module.
Then
(M ⊗ R N ) ⊗ S P ◦= M ⊗ R (N ⊗ S P)
under the unique homomorphism ϕ of abelian groups such that ϕ((m ⊗n)⊗ p) =
m ⊗ (n ⊗ p). The isomorphism is natural in the triple (M, N, P).
REMARKS. As with Proposition 10.21, the naturality carries with it some
additional conclusions. For example, if T is a ring with identity and M is actually
a unital (T, R) bimodule, then the isomorphism is one of left T modules.
PROOF. For fixed p, the map (m, n, p) 6∈ m ⊗ (n ⊗ p) is R bilinear. In fact,
the map is certainly additive in m and in n. For the transformation law with an
element r of R, the calculation is (mr, n, p) 6∈ mr ⊗ (n ⊗ p) = m ⊗ r(n ⊗ p) =
m ⊗ (rn ⊗ p), and this is the image of (m, rn, p).
Thus for each fixed p, we have a unique well-defined extension, additive in
m and n, carrying (m ⊗ n, p) to m ⊗ (n ⊗ p). Using the uniqueness, we see
 5. Tensor Product for Modules 581

that this extended map is additive in the variables m ⊗ n and p. Also, if s is in

S, then ((m ⊗ n)s, p) = (m ⊗ ns, p) maps to m ⊗ (ns ⊗ p) = m ⊗ (n ⊗ sp),
which is the image of (m ⊗ n, sp), and therefore (m ⊗ n, p) 6∈ m ⊗ (n ⊗ p) is
S bilinear. Consequently there exists a homomorphism ϕ of abelian groups as in
the statement of the proposition.
A similar argument produces a homomorphism ϕ∪ of abelian groups carrying
the right member of the display to the left member such that ϕ∪ (m ⊗ (n ⊗ p)) =
(m ⊗ n) ⊗ p. On the generating elements, we see that ϕ∪ − ϕ and ϕ − ϕ∪ are the
identity. This proves the isomorphism.
For the naturality, let √ : M ∈ M ∪ , 8 : N ∈ N ∪ , and τ : P ∈ P ∪ be maps
respecting the appropriate module structure in each case. Then
M L M L
ϕ ((√⊗8) ⊗ τ )((m ⊗ n) ⊗ p) = ϕ (√ ⊗ 8)(m ⊗ n) ⊗ τ ( p)
M L
= ϕ (√(m) ⊗ 8(n)) ⊗ τ ( p) = √(m) ⊗ (8(n) ⊗ τ ( p))
= (√ ⊗ (8 ⊗ τ ))(m ⊗ (n ⊗ p)) = (√ ⊗ (8 ⊗ τ ))(ϕ((m ⊗ n) ⊗ p)),

and naturality is proved. §

Proposition 10.23. Let R and S be rings with identity, let M be a unital left
R module, let N be a unital (S, R) bimodule, and let P be a unital left S module.
Then
HomS (N ⊗ R M, P) ◦ = Hom R (M, HomS (N , P))
under the homomorphism ϕ of abelian groups defined by ϕ(√)(m)(n) =
√(n ⊗ m) for m ∩ M, n ∩ N , and √ ∩ HomS (M ⊗ R N, P). The isomorphism
is natural in the variables (N, M) and P.
REMARKS. In the displayed isomorphism, N ⊗ R M on the left side is au-
tomatically a left S module, and hence HomS (N ⊗ R M, P) is a well-defined
abelian group. For the right side, Proposition 10.17 shows that HomS (N, P)
is a left R module under the definition (rτ )(n) = τ (nr); consequently
Hom R (M, HomS (N, P)) is a well-defined abelian group. The naturality in the
conclusion allows one to conclude, for example, that if M is in fact a unital
(R, T ) bimodule for a ring T with identity, then the displayed isomorphism is an
isomorphism of left T modules.
PROOF. The homomorphism ϕ is well defined. We construct its inverse. If 8
is in Hom R (M, HomS (N, P)), then the map (n, m) 6∈ 8(m)(n) sends (nr, m)
to 8(m)(nr) = (r(8(m))(n) = (8(rm))(n), and this is the image of (n, rm).
Hence (n, m) 6∈ 8(m)(n) is R bilinear and yields a map of N ⊗ R M into P such
that n ⊗ m maps to 8(m)(n). The latter map is an S homomorphism since sn ⊗ m
maps to 8(m)(sn) = s(8(m)(n)), which is s applied to the image of n ⊗ m. We
define ϕ∪ (8) to be the map defined on N ⊗ R M with ϕ∪ (8)(n ⊗ m) = 8(m)(n).