# Free monoid generated by

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Be sure to check Discussion of the free monoid and free semigroup generated by a set, as there are some things to note

## Definition

Given a set, [ilmath]X[/ilmath], there is a free monoid, [ilmath](F,*)[/ilmath][1].

• The elements of [ilmath]F[/ilmath] are all the finite tuples, [ilmath](x_1,\ldots,x_n)[/ilmath] (where [ilmath]x_i\in X[/ilmath])
• The monoid operation ([ilmath]*:F\times F\rightarrow F[/ilmath]) is concatenation:
• [ilmath]*:((x_1,\ldots,x_n),(y_1,\ldots,y_n))\mapsto(x_1,\ldots,x_n,y_1,\ldots,y_n)[/ilmath]
• The identity element of the monoid is:
• [ilmath]e=()[/ilmath] - the "empty" tuple.

The proof that this is indeed a monoid is below

### Notation

• We often identify [ilmath]x\in X[/ilmath] with [ilmath](x)\in F[/ilmath], and singletons of [ilmath]F[/ilmath] (ie: [ilmath](y)\in F[/ilmath] with [ilmath]y\in X[/ilmath].
• This notation extends further, and (especially in the case of the free semigroup generated by [ilmath]X[/ilmath][Note 1]) we write [ilmath](x_1,x_2,\ldots,x_{n-1},x_n)[/ilmath] as a product or word, [ilmath]x_1x_2\ldots x_{n-1}x_n[/ilmath]

## Terminology

• The finite tuples of [ilmath]F[/ilmath] are sometimes called "words".
• Warning:The "word" terminology may be specific to the free group, however I wouldn't be surprised if word is used in this context too, so I deem it still worth mentioning
• Caution:Word may only be used for elements of [ilmath]F[/ilmath] written in the "product" notation, [ilmath]x_1\ldots x_n[/ilmath]. The reference[1] implies this.
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While not explicitly said, the main reference doesn't deal with these objects in great detail, however usually such tuples are called words, at least with free groups (see warning)

## Examples

• This page can be considered an element of the monoid generated by the alphabet (union all the symbols too)

## Proof that this is indeed a monoid

1. Associativity is trivial
2. Identity element being an identity element is trivial

(These might be good "low hanging fruit" for any newcomers)

## Notes

1. We do this because the semigroup has no identity (in fact, is considered as the set of all tuples of length greater than or equal to one of elements of [ilmath]X[/ilmath]), it has no "empty tuple", writing an empty tuple as a "word" would be an empty word! You couldn't even tell it was there.