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I need to prove or disprove that in any Boolean algebra: if $a+ab=b$ then $a=b=1$ or $a=b=0$.

I build the following truth table: $$ \begin{array}{|c|c|c|} \hline a & b & a+ab \\ \hline 0 & 0 & 0 \\ \hline 0 & 1 & 0 \\ \hline 1 & 0 & 1 \\ \hline 1 & 1 & 1 \\ \hline \end{array} $$ So it does looks like that theorem is true. Can I prove it with algebra? if not, How should I prove it?

Edit: You guys proved it for the binary Boolean algebra. The theorem is for every Boolean algebra (I just gave an example for binary). How can I prove it for every Boolean algebra?

mwt
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vesii
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  • Yes, the statement holds in the two-element Boolean algebra. But that's not what the exercise is asking. – egreg Oct 01 '18 at 13:59
  • Look into any Boolean algebra with more than two elements (for example the four-element Boolean algebra) and check what happens if $a=b$ but they are neither $0$ nor $1$. – Andreas Blass Oct 01 '18 at 13:59

2 Answers2

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$a + ab = b \iff a(1+b) = b \iff a = b$

Zamarion
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Adding $b+1$ to both sides of $a+ab=b$, you get $$ \require{cancel} ab+a+b+1=\underbrace{\cancel{b+b}}_{=2b=0}+1 $$ (recall a Boolean ring has characteristic 2). Thus $(1+a)(1+b)=1$. This only holds if $1+a=1+b=1$, i.e., $a=b=0$.

user10354138
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  • Looks like you're using the wrong interpretation of addition, which would make the question wrong too. In the question, as in classical logic, $+$ denotes disjunction, not XOR. – user21820 Oct 01 '18 at 15:15
  • Sensible people always write $\vee$ when they mean disjunction or lattice join. If $+$ means disjunction (which is illogical) then there is no point in performing the "+ab", and any a=b in any Boolean algebra works, not just =0 or =1. – user10354138 Oct 01 '18 at 15:24
  • Well, many introductory texts use "$+$" for disjunction in classical boolean algebra. Whether we like it or not, it is the norm at lower levels, not "$\lor$". As for "no point", many exercises have no point. Anyway, it's up to the asker to decide whether your answer is useful or not. I was just pointing out that you're not interpreting "$+$" in the question in the intended manner (as is clear from the truth-table). If you take offense with my use of "wrong" in my comment, please understand that I did not mean that your interpretation is mathematically wrong or inferior, just different. – user21820 Oct 01 '18 at 15:50