On the two-variable fragment of the equational theory of the max-sum algebra of the natural numbers (Q4501538)

Let \({\mathbb N}=(N, \vee , +, 0)\) denote the algebra of the natural numbers equipped with the usual sum operation +, constant \(0\) and the operation \(\vee\) for the maximum of two numbers. It is proved that the set of identities in two variables which hold in the algebra \({\mathbb N}\) does not have a finite equational axiomatization. This gives an alternative proof of the following result previously obtained by the authors: the equational theory of \({\mathbb N}\) is not finitely based. It is noted that analogous results are true for the reduct \((N, \vee , +)\) of \({\mathbb N}\) and for the extension \((N, \vee , +, 0, 1)\) of \({\mathbb N}\). For the entire collection see [Zbl 0933.00044].