Definition
M_n(O) matrix algebra
Catalogue object: M_n(O) matrix algebra; scalar field, operations, and dimension are explicit.
For each integer , consists of -by- matrices with entries in O, with entrywise addition and scalar multiplication and product
Its unit is . The scalar field for this catalogue object is .
Dimension and multiplication
Each of the entries contributes real coordinates, so the real dimension is .
Two-factor matrix products are unambiguous, but multiplication is not associative: the coefficient algebra embeds in a diagonal corner, so its nonzero associators survive. No associative-algebra or ring view is assigned. Symmetrizing this product must not be assumed to give a Jordan algebra.
Size convention
The entries for sizes one, two, and three are separate catalogue objects; this record is the parameterized family. Matrix size is not the dimension of the algebra.