Check the commutativity and associativity of each of the following binary operations:
*’ on Q defined by a*b = ab + 1 for all a,b∈Q
Given that * is a binary operation on Q defined by a*b = ab + 1 for all a,b∈Q.
We know that commutative property is p*q = q*p, where * is a binary operation.
Let’s check the commutativity of given binary operation:
⇒ a*b = ab + 1
⇒ b*a = ba + 1 = ab + 1
⇒ b*a = a*b
∴ Commutative property holds for given binary operation ‘*’ on ‘Q’.
We know that associative property is (p*q)*r = p*(q*r)
Let’s check the associativity of given binary operation:
⇒ (a*b)*c = (ab + 1)*c
⇒ (a*b)*c = ((ab + 1)×c) + 1
⇒ (a*b)*c = abc + c + 1 ...... (1)
⇒ a*(b*c) = a*(bc + 1)
⇒ a*(b*c) = (a×(bc + 1)) + 1
⇒ a*(b*c) = abc + a + 1 ...... (2)
From (1) and (2) we can clearly say that associativity doesn’t hold for the binary operation ‘*’ on ‘Q’.