On periodic rings (Q5931272)

Let \(R\) be a ring, and define \(a\circ b=a+b-ab\) for all \(a,b\in R\). Call \(R\) periodic if for each \(x\in R\), there exist distinct positive integers \(m\), \(n\) such that \(x^m=x^n\). The principal theorem asserts that \(R\) is periodic if and only if for each \(x,y\in R\), there exist distinct 2-tuples \((k,l)\) and \((m,n)\) of positive integers for which \(x^ky^l=x^my^n\). An interesting result used in the proof is that \((R,\circ)\) is a periodic semigroup if and only if \(R\) is a periodic torsion ring.