How to show that every Boolean ring is commutative?

Solution 1:

Every Boolean ring is of characteristic 2, since $a+a=(a+a)^2=a^2+a^2+a^2+a^2=a+a+a+a\implies a+a=0$.
Now, for any $x,y$ in the ring $x+y=(x+y)^2=x^2+xy+yx+y^2=x+y+xy+yx$, so $xy+yx=0$ and hence $xy+(xy+yx)=xy$. But since the ring has characteristic 2, $yx=xy$.

Solution 2:

I always like to know where these problems come from, their history. This was first proved in a paper by Stone in 1936. Here's a link to that paper for anyone who is interested:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1090/S0002-9947-1936-1501865-8

His proof is in the first full paragraph on p. 40.

Solution 3:

Of course, this is an old chestnut: if you are interested in typical generalizations of this commutativity theorem in a wider, more structural context (to associative, unitary rings) I suggest reading T.Y. Lam's beautiful Springer GTM 131 "A First Course in Noncommutative Rings", Chapter 4, §12, in particular the Jacobson-Herstein Theorem (12.9), p. 209: A (unitary, associative) ring $R$ is commutative iff for any $a,b\in R$ one always has $(ab-ba)^{n+1}=ab-ba$ for some $n\in\mathbb N$ ($n$ generally depending on $a,b$). (Further, using Artin's theorem concerning diassociativity of alternative algebrae, associativity of $R$ may be weakened to alternativity.) Cp. also the exercises given, in particular Ex. 9. Note that the Boolean case is special, as that the ring considered needn't be unitary a-priori. Kind regards - Stephan F. Kroneck.

Solution 4:

If $a,b\in R$, \begin{align} 2ba &=4ba-2ba\\ &=4(ba)^2-2ba\\ &=(2ba)^2-2ba\\ &=2ba-2ba\\ &=0, \end{align} so \begin{align} ab &=ab+0\\ &=ab+2ba\\ &=[ab+ba]+ba\\ &=[(a+b)^2-a^2-b^2]+ba\\ &=[(a+b)-a-b]+ba\\ &=0+ba\\ &=ba. \end{align}