An algorithm for associative bilinear forms (Q958022)

Bilinear forms play an important role in the study of the structure of an algebra. In the paper under review, the relation between Albert's problem and the existence of associative bilinear forms is considered. Albert's problem consists in finding out if every commutative power-associative finite-dimensional nil-algebra is solvable. The author proves that Albert's problem is equivalent to the existence of symmetric bilinear forms in the case where algebras over a field of characteristic different from 2 or 5 are considered. Moreover the author obtains that the problem of the existence of symmetric associative bilinear forms can be reduced to the existence of associative bilinear forms at least in the commutative case, if a commutative finite-dimensional algebra has a non-zero associative bilinear form, then it has a non-zero symmetric associative bilinear form. A sufficient and necessary condition for the existence of non-zero associative bilinear forms for a finite-dimensional algebra \(A\) is obtained by using the tensor product, the linear function \(f: A\otimes A\otimes A\longrightarrow A\otimes A\) such that \(f(a\otimes b\otimes c)=ab\otimes c-a\otimes bc\) should be not surjective. An algorithm to find all the associative bilinear forms of an algebra given its constants of structure is described. Software PARI/GP is used for constructing the algorithm. Some examples of the application of such algorithm are presented.