Inhomogeneous partition regularity (Q782932)

Summary: We say that the system of equations \(Ax = b\), where \(A\) is an integer matrix and \(b\) is a (non-zero) integer vector, is partition regular if whenever the integers are finitely coloured there is a monochromatic vector \(x\) with \(Ax = b.\) \textit{R. Rado} [Math. Z. 36, 424--480 (1933; Zbl 0006.14603)] proved that the system \(Ax = b\) is partition regular if and only if it has a constant solution. \textit{J. Byszewski} and \textit{E. Krawczyk} [``Rado's theorem for rings and modules'', Preprint, \url{arXiv:1804.05341}] asked if this remains true when the integers are replaced by a general (commutative) ring \(R\). Our aim in this note is to answer this question in the affirmative. The main ingredient is a new `direct' proof of Rado's result.