|
Projective Envelope
In the branch of abstract mathematics called category theory, a projective cover of an object ''X'' is in a sense the best approximation of ''X'' by a projective object ''P''. Projective covers are the dual of injective envelopes. Definition Let \mathcal be a category and ''X'' an object in \mathcal. A projective cover is a pair (''P'',''p''), with ''P'' a projective object in \mathcal and ''p'' a superfluous epimorphism in Hom(''P'', ''X''). If ''R'' is a ring, then in the category of ''R''-modules, a superfluous epimorphism is then an epimorphism p : P \to X such that the kernel of ''p'' is a superfluous submodule of ''P''. Properties Projective covers and their superfluous epimorphisms, when they exist, are unique up to isomorphism. The isomorphism need not be unique, however, since the projective property is not a full fledged universal property. The main effect of ''p'' having a superfluous kernel is the following: if ''N'' is any proper submodule of ''P'', then p(N) \n ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Category Theory
Category theory is a general theory of mathematical structures and their relations that was introduced by Samuel Eilenberg and Saunders Mac Lane in the middle of the 20th century in their foundational work on algebraic topology. Nowadays, category theory is used in almost all areas of mathematics, and in some areas of computer science. In particular, many constructions of new mathematical objects from previous ones, that appear similarly in several contexts are conveniently expressed and unified in terms of categories. Examples include quotient spaces, direct products, completion, and duality. A category is formed by two sorts of objects: the objects of the category, and the morphisms, which relate two objects called the ''source'' and the ''target'' of the morphism. One often says that a morphism is an ''arrow'' that ''maps'' its source to its target. Morphisms can be ''composed'' if the target of the first morphism equals the source of the second one, and morphism compos ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
