Euclidean modules (Q2342048)

The paper under review extends the definition of a Euclidean domain to a Euclidean ring and Euclidean module as follows. Let \(R\) be a ring with identity. The ring \(R\) is a left weakly Euclidean if there is a function \(\varphi:R \setminus \{0\}\to \mathbb N \cup \{0\}\) such that for all \(a\neq 0, b \in R\), there exist \(q, r\in R\) such that \(b=qa+r\) where \(r=0\) or \(\varphi(r)<\varphi(a)\). Let \(M\) be an \(R\)-module. The module \(M\) is a Euclidean module if there is a function \(\varphi:M\setminus \{0\}\to \mathbb N \cup \{0\}\) such that for all \(m_1, 0\neq m_2 \in M\), there exist \(r\in R\) and \(m_3\in M\) such that \(m_1=rm_2+m_3\) where \(m_3=0\) or \(\varphi(m_3)<\varphi(m_2)\). It is shown that Euclidean modules are cyclic. Moreover, submodule and homomorphic image of a Euclidean module are again Euclidean module. Now let \(R\) be a commutative ring. As a main result of this paper, it is shown that \(R\) is weakly Euclidean ring if and only if the endomorphism ring \(\mathrm{End}(_RM)\) is weakly Euclidean for every cyclic \(R\)-module \(M\). An \(R\)-module \(M\) is torsion-free if \(r\in R\), \(m \in M\) and \(rm=0\), then \(r=0\) or \(m=0\). In the final section, some properties of torsion-free Euclidean modules are given. For instance, if \(M\) is torsion-free Euclidean \(R\)-module with \(R\) commutative, then each non-zero element of \(\mathrm{End}(_RM)\) is a monomorphism.