Adjoining a universal inner inverse to a ring element. (Q907345)

Let \(R\) be an algebra over a field \(k\) and \(p\) an element of \(R\). Normal forms are obtained for the elements of the \(k\)-algebra \(R'\) obtained by universally adjoining to \(R\) an inner inverse for \(p\), that is, an element \(q\) satisfying \(pqp=p\), as well as normal forms for the elements of induced \(R'\)-modules \(M\otimes_RR'\). The details of these normal forms differ depending on which of the sets \(pR\cap Rp\), \(pR\cup Rp\), \(pR+Rp\) (if any) contains the identity element of \(R\). In the final section of the paper, the author develops normal forms for the elements of certain algebras containing \(R\) together with an element \(q\) satisfying \(pqp=p\) and \(qpq=q\). One case of this covers a construction of \textit{P. Ara} and \textit{K. C. O'Meara} which produces a nilpotent regular element which is not unit-regular [``The nilpotent regular element problem'', Can. Math. Bull. (to appear), \url{arXiv:1509.08862}]. Hoped-for applications of these normal forms are (I) to pin down the monoid \(V(R')\) of isomorphism classes of finitely generated projective \(R'\)-modules in terms of the corresponding monoid \(V(R)\), and (II) to transfinitely build von Neumann regular algebras \(S\) whose monoids \(V(S)\) have specified properties. (See [\textit{P. Ara}, in: Ring theory 2007. Proceedings of the 5th China-Japan-Korea conference, Tokyo, Japan, September 10-15, 2007. Hackensack, NJ: World Scientific. 21-37 (2009; Zbl 1183.16011)] for a survey of the latter problem.) By earlier work of the author [Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 200, 33-88 (1974; Zbl 0264.16018)] and the author and \textit{W. Dicks} [Pac. J. Math. 79, 293-337 (1979; Zbl 0359.16001)], every abelian monoid \(M\) satisfying two obvious basic restrictions is isomorphic to \(V(R)\) for some ring \(R\). However, the constructions used do not produce von Neumann regular rings.