1. ## Ideal

Let R be any commutative ring and let a1,......,an be elements of R. We define
(a1,.....,an) to be the set {r1a1+...rnan for all i, ri in R}.
Prove that (a1,......,an) is an ideal of R. We call it the ideal generated by a1,......, an.

I appreciate any help.

2. Originally Posted by JaysFan31
Let R be any commutative ring and let a1,......,an be elements of R. We define
(a1,.....,an) to be the set {r1a1+...rnan for all i, ri in R}.
Prove that (a1,......,an) is an ideal of R. We call it the ideal generated by a1,......, an.
Let us show that,
$S=\{r_1a_1+...+r_na_n\}$
Has property that,
$xS\subseteq S, Sx\subseteq S$
Well that is simple to show,
Any element of $xS$ can be expressed as,
$\{xr_1a_1+...+xr_na_n\}$
And every $xr_i\in R$ (for it is closed since it is a ring).

Now the other way around $Sx\subseteq S$ is also true for any element of $Sx$ can be expressed as,
$r_1a_1x+...+r_na_nx$
But since $R$ is a commutative ring,
$xr_1a_1+...+xr_na_n$.
That part is finished.

The question remains to show that this generating set is an additive subgroup of the ring. I am not going to show that (in fact it is simple to) but you show be familar from group theory that these generating sets always forms a subgroup (if one element only then it is a cyclic subgroup).