In analogy with ordinary numbers, we call an element c of an ordered ring positive if and negative if . The set of positive (or, in some cases, nonnegative) elements in the ring R is often denoted by R+ .
If a is an element of an ordered ring R, then the absolute value of a, denoted | a | , is defined thus:
A discrete ordered ring or discretely ordered ring is an ordered ring in which there is no element between 0 and 1. The integers are a discrete ordered ring, but the rational numbers are not.
Basic properties
If and , then [1] This property is sometimes used to define ordered rings instead of the second property in the definition above.
An ordered ring that is not trivial is infinite. [3]
If , then either , or , or [4] This property follows from the fact that ordered rings are abelian, linearly ordered groups with respect to addition.
An ordered ring R has no zero divisors if and only if R+ is closed under multiplication—that is, ab is positive if both a and b are positive.[5]
In an ordered ring, no negative element is a square.[6] This is because if and a = b2 then and a = ( − b)2; as either b or − b is positive, a must be positive.
Notes
The names below refer to theorems formally verified by the IsarMathLib project.