26 2. Exact Sequences
26 2. Exact Sequences
EXACT SEQUENCES
Exercises
Exercise 2.1. Show that
0 !M !0
is exact if and only if M is the zero module.
Exercise 2.2. Let f : M ! N be an R-module homomorphism.
Show that there is an exact sequence
f
0 ! ker f ! M ! N ! coker f ! 0
of R-modules.
Exercise 2.3. Complete the proof of the Five Lemma (Theorem
2.1): show that if f2 and f4 are surjective, and if f5 is injective, then
f3 is surjective.
Exercise 2.4. Let
M1 M2 M3 0
f1 f2
N1 N2 N3 0
be a commutative diagram of R-modules with exact rows. Show that
there exists a unique R-linear map f3 : M3 ! N3 making the resulting
diagram commute.
Exercise 2.5. Consider a commutative diagram of R-modules
↵
0 M E N 0
idM f idN
0 M E0 N 0
in which both rows are short exact sequences. Deduce from the snake
or five lemma that f must be an isomorphism. Show that f is an iso-
morphism without using the snake or five lemma. (Hint for surjectivity:
given y 2 E 0 choose an x 2 E with same image as y in N . Show that
there is an z 2 M with f (↵(z) + x) = y.)
Exercise 2.6. Give an example of a diagram as in Theorem 2.2,
for which the ‘snake map’ d : ker f3 ! coker f1 is non-zero.
EXERCISES 27
N1 N2
be a commutative diagram of R-modules, in which the two horizontal
maps are injective. Show that there exists an R-module E and an exact
sequence
0 ! ker ↵1 ! ker ↵2 ! E ! coker ↵1 ! coker ↵2
of R-modules.
Exercise 2.8. Let R be a ring, let
(2) 0 ! M1 ! M2 ! M3
be an exact sequence of R-modules, and let N be an R-module. Show
that there is an exact sequence of abelian groups
0 ! HomR (N, M1 ) ! HomR (N, M2 ) ! HomR (N, M3 ).
Give an example to show that the exactness of 0 ! M1 ! M2 !
M3 ! 0 need not imply that the map HomR (N, M2 ) ! HomR (N, M3 )
is surjective.
Exercise 2.9. Let R be a ring, let
M1 ! M2 ! M3 ! 0
be an exact sequence of R-modules, and let N be an R-module. Show
that there is an exact sequence of abelian groups
0 ! HomR (M3 , N ) ! HomR (M2 , N ) ! HomR (M1 , N ).
Give an example to show that the exactness of 0 ! M1 ! M2 !
M3 ! 0 need not imply that the map HomR (M2 , N ) ! HomR (M1 , N )
is surjective.
Exercise 2.10. Let I and J be left ideals in a ring R. Show that
there are exact sequences
0!I \J !I J !I +J !0
and
0 ! R/(I \ J) ! R/I R/J ! R/(I + J) ! 0
of R-modules.