Modules determined by their composition factors (Q793821)

For an artin algebra \(\Lambda\), a short chain is defined to be a sequence of nonzero maps \(A\to B\to DTrA\) between indecomposable finitely generated \(\Lambda\)-modules. Here D denotes the ordinary duality and Tr the transpose. A main result is that if \(\Lambda\) has no short chains, then the indecomposable finitely generated \(\Lambda\)-modules are uniquely determined by their composition factors. It is also proved that if \(\Lambda\) has no short chains, and \(P_ 1\to P_ 0\to A\to 0\) and \(Q_ 1\to Q_ 0\to B\to 0\) are minimal projective presentations of indecomposable \(\Lambda\)-modules A and B, then \(A\simeq B\) if \(P_ i\simeq Q_ i\) for \(i=1,2\). An important step in the proof is that with A, B as above, we have the formula \(<A,B>-<B,DTrA>=<P_ 0,B>-<P_ 1,B>.\) Also other applications of this formula are given.