I am trying to get an idea about how to classify rings based on the various properties they can have. In this regard, I am stumped by the question of whether there exist rings which are:
Case 1) Non-commutative and have no-zero divisors: I know that Z and Z_p (p prime) have no zero divisors, but they are commutative. The only non-commutative rings I can really think of are matrices, but they can have zero divisors. (In fact, I've tried to either consider subrings of matrices which might not have zero divisors or construct various rings based on vectors, like a ring whose elements are vectors in R^2 or R^3, where + is the typical componentwise addition and * is either a dot or cross-product. While the cross product, is non- commutative, it still has zero divisors). My guess is that these types of structures exist though, but I just don't know enough examples of rings to identify one that satisfies these conditions. Case 2) Have unit elements, but are nor groups under *, not commutative, and have no-zero divisors: No clues as to if this could even exist. These conditions seem very restrictive and I have to wonder if this type of structure even exists.
> I am trying to get an idea about how to classify rings based on the > various properties they can have. > In this regard, I am stumped by the question of whether there exist > rings which are:
> Case 1) Non-commutative and have no-zero divisors: I know that Z and > Z_p (p prime) have no zero divisors, but they are commutative. The > only non-commutative rings I can really think of are matrices, but > they can have zero divisors. (In fact, I've tried to either consider > subrings of matrices which might not have zero divisors or construct > various rings based on vectors, like a ring whose elements are vectors > in R^2 or R^3, where + is the typical componentwise addition and * is > either a dot or cross-product. While the cross product, is non- > commutative, it still has zero divisors). My guess is that these types > of structures exist though, but I just don't know enough examples of > rings to identify one that satisfies these conditions.
What happened to the quaternions? The quaternions with integer coefficients, if you want to avoid skew-fields...
> Case 2) Have unit elements, but are nor groups under *, not > commutative, and have no-zero divisors: No clues as to if this could > even exist. These conditions seem very restrictive and I have to > wonder if this type of structure even exists.
The quaternions with integer coefficients, for one.
And yes, they do exist.
If you have a ring with no zero divisors in which every nonzero element is invertible, you have what is called a "skew-field" or a "division ring". One reason you might be having trouble coming up with examples is that there are no finite division rings that are not fields (that is, not commutative); this is called Wedderburn's Theorem.
A ring with no zero divisors and a unit, but possibly non-commutative, is sometimes called an "entire ring" (careful, though; some authors, e.g. Lang, use that term for integral domains).