Definition:Quotient Mapping
Definition
Let $\RR \subseteq S \times S$ be an equivalence on a set $S$.
Let $\eqclass s \RR$ be the $\RR$-equivalence class of $s$.
Let $S / \RR$ be the quotient set of $S$ determined by $\RR$.
Then $q_\RR: S \to S / \RR$ is the quotient mapping induced by $\RR$, and is defined as:
- $q_\RR: S \to S / \RR: \map {q_\RR} s = \eqclass s \RR$
for all $s \in S$.
Effectively, we are defining a mapping on $S$ by assigning each element $s \in S$ to its equivalence class $\eqclass s \RR$.
If the equivalence $\RR$ is understood, $\map {q_\RR} s$ can be written $\map q s$.
Also known as
The quotient mapping is often referred to as:
- the canonical surjection from $S$ to $S / \RR$
- the canonical map or canonical projection from $S$ onto $S / \RR$
- the natural mapping from $S$ to $S / \RR$
- the natural surjection from $S$ to $S / \RR$
- the classifying map or classifying mapping (as it classifies the elements of $S$ into those various equivalence classes)
- the projection from $S$ to $S / \RR$
Some sources denote the quotient mapping by $\natural_\RR$. This is logical, as $\natural$ is the "natural" sign in music.
Some sources use $\pi$ to denote the quotient mapping.
Examples
Congruence Modulo $3$
Let $x \mathrel \RR y$ be the equivalence relation defined on the integers as congruence modulo $3$:
- $x \mathrel \RR y \iff x \equiv y \pmod 3$
defined as:
- $\forall x, y \in \Z: x \equiv y \pmod 3 \iff \exists k \in \Z: x - y = 3 k$
That is, if their difference $x - y$ is a multiple of $3$.
From Congruence Modulo $3$, the quotient set induced by $\RR$ is:
- $\Z / \RR = \set {\eqclass 0 3, \eqclass 1 3, \eqclass 2 3}$
Hence the quotient mapping $q_\RR: \Z \to \Z / \RR$ is defined as:
- $\forall x \in \Z: \map {q_\RR} x = \eqclass x 3 = \set {x + 3 k: k \in \Z}$
Modulo $2 \pi$ as Angular Measurement
Let $\RR$ denote the congruence relation modulo $2 \pi$ on the real numbers $\R$ defined as:
- $\forall x, y \in \R: \tuple {x, y} \in \RR \iff \text {$x$ and $y$}$ measure the same angle in radians
From Congruence Modulo $2 \pi$ as Angular Measurement, the quotient set induced by $\RR$ is:
- $\R / \RR = \set {\eqclass \theta {2 \pi}: 0 \le \theta < 2 \pi}$
where:
- $\eqclass \theta {2 \pi} = \set {\theta + 2 k \pi: k \in \Z}$
Hence the quotient mapping $q_\RR: \R \to \R / \RR$ is defined as:
- $\forall x \in \R: \map {q_\RR} x = \eqclass x {2 \pi} = \set {x + 2 k \pi: k \in \Z}$
Also see
- Results about quotient mappings can be found here.
Linguistic Note
The word quotient derives from the Latin word meaning how often.
Sources
- 1951: Nathan Jacobson: Lectures in Abstract Algebra: Volume $\text { I }$: Basic Concepts ... (previous) ... (next): Introduction $\S 3$: Equivalence relations
- 1960: Paul R. Halmos: Naive Set Theory ... (previous) ... (next): $\S 8$: Functions
- 1965: Seth Warner: Modern Algebra ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $\text {II}$: New Structures from Old: $\S 10$: Equivalence Relations
- 1967: George McCarty: Topology: An Introduction with Application to Topological Groups ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $\text{I}$: Sets and Functions: Quotient Functions
- 1968: A.N. Kolmogorov and S.V. Fomin: Introductory Real Analysis ... (previous) ... (next): $\S 1.4$: Decomposition of a set into classes. Equivalence relations: Example $2$
- 1971: Allan Clark: Elements of Abstract Algebra ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $1$: Equivalence Relations: $\S 17$
- 1972: A.G. Howson: A Handbook of Terms used in Algebra and Analysis ... (previous) ... (next): $\S 3$: Equivalence relations and quotient sets: Quotient sets
- 1975: T.S. Blyth: Set Theory and Abstract Algebra ... (previous) ... (next): $\S 6$. Indexed families; partitions; equivalence relations
- 1975: Bert Mendelson: Introduction to Topology (3rd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $1$: Theory of Sets: $\S 7$: Relations
- 1982: P.M. Cohn: Algebra Volume 1 (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $1$: Sets and mappings: $\S 1.4$: Equivalence relations
- 1990: John B. Conway: A Course in Functional Analysis (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): Appendix $\text{A}$ Preliminaries: $\S 1.$ Linear Algebra
- 2010: Steve Awodey: Category Theory (2nd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): $\S 3.4$