In
abstract algebra
In mathematics, more specifically algebra, abstract algebra or modern algebra is the study of algebraic structures, which are set (mathematics), sets with specific operation (mathematics), operations acting on their elements. Algebraic structur ...
, the sedenions form a 16-
dimensional noncommutative
In mathematics, a binary operation is commutative if changing the order of the operands does not change the result. It is a fundamental property of many binary operations, and many mathematical proofs depend on it. Perhaps most familiar as a p ...
and
nonassociative algebra
Algebra is a branch of mathematics that deals with abstract systems, known as algebraic structures, and the manipulation of expressions within those systems. It is a generalization of arithmetic that introduces variables and algebraic ope ...
over the
real number
In mathematics, a real number is a number that can be used to measure a continuous one- dimensional quantity such as a duration or temperature. Here, ''continuous'' means that pairs of values can have arbitrarily small differences. Every re ...
s, usually represented by the capital letter S, boldface or
blackboard bold
Blackboard bold is a style of writing Emphasis (typography), bold symbols on a blackboard by doubling certain strokes, commonly used in mathematical lectures, and the derived style of typeface used in printed mathematical texts. The style is most ...
.
The sedenions are obtained by applying the
Cayley–Dickson construction
In mathematics, the Cayley–Dickson construction, sometimes also known as the Cayley–Dickson process or the Cayley–Dickson procedure produces a sequence of algebra over a field, algebras over the field (mathematics), field of real numbers, eac ...
to the
octonion
In mathematics, the octonions are a normed division algebra over the real numbers, a kind of Hypercomplex number, hypercomplex Number#Classification, number system. The octonions are usually represented by the capital letter O, using boldface or ...
s, which can be mathematically expressed as
.
As such, the octonions are
isomorphic
In mathematics, an isomorphism is a structure-preserving mapping or morphism between two structures of the same type that can be reversed by an inverse mapping. Two mathematical structures are isomorphic if an isomorphism exists between the ...
to a
subalgebra In mathematics, a subalgebra is a subset of an algebra, closed under all its operations, and carrying the induced operations.
"Algebra", when referring to a structure, often means a vector space or module equipped with an additional bilinear opera ...
of the sedenions. Unlike the octonions, the sedenions are not an
alternative algebra
In abstract algebra, an alternative algebra is an algebra over a field, algebra in which multiplication need not be associative, only alternativity, alternative. That is, one must have
*x(xy) = (xx)y
*(yx)x = y(xx)
for all ''x'' and ''y'' in the a ...
. Applying the Cayley–Dickson construction to the sedenions yields a 32-dimensional algebra, called the
trigintaduonion
In abstract algebra, the trigintaduonions, also known as the , , form a commutative property, noncommutative and associative property, nonassociative algebra over a field, algebra over the real numbers.
Names
The word ''trigintaduonion'' is d ...
s or sometimes the 32-nions.
The term ''sedenion'' is also used for other 16-dimensional algebraic structures, such as a tensor product of two copies of the
biquaternion
In abstract algebra, the biquaternions are the numbers , where , and are complex numbers, or variants thereof, and the elements of multiply as in the quaternion group and commute with their coefficients. There are three types of biquaternions cor ...
s, or the algebra of 4 × 4
matrices
Matrix (: matrices or matrixes) or MATRIX may refer to:
Science and mathematics
* Matrix (mathematics), a rectangular array of numbers, symbols or expressions
* Matrix (logic), part of a formula in prenex normal form
* Matrix (biology), the ...
over the real numbers, or that studied by .
Arithmetic

Every sedenion is a
linear combination
In mathematics, a linear combination or superposition is an Expression (mathematics), expression constructed from a Set (mathematics), set of terms by multiplying each term by a constant and adding the results (e.g. a linear combination of ''x'' a ...
of the unit sedenions
,
,
,
, ...,
,
which form a
basis of the
vector space
In mathematics and physics, a vector space (also called a linear space) is a set (mathematics), set whose elements, often called vector (mathematics and physics), ''vectors'', can be added together and multiplied ("scaled") by numbers called sc ...
of sedenions. Every sedenion can be represented in the form
:
Addition and subtraction are defined by the addition and subtraction of corresponding coefficients and multiplication is
distributive over addition.
Like other algebras based on the
Cayley–Dickson construction
In mathematics, the Cayley–Dickson construction, sometimes also known as the Cayley–Dickson process or the Cayley–Dickson procedure produces a sequence of algebra over a field, algebras over the field (mathematics), field of real numbers, eac ...
, the sedenions contain the algebra they were constructed from. So they contain the octonions (generated by
to
in the table below), and therefore also the
quaternion
In mathematics, the quaternion number system extends the complex numbers. Quaternions were first described by the Irish mathematician William Rowan Hamilton in 1843 and applied to mechanics in three-dimensional space. The algebra of quater ...
s (generated by
to
),
complex number
In mathematics, a complex number is an element of a number system that extends the real numbers with a specific element denoted , called the imaginary unit and satisfying the equation i^= -1; every complex number can be expressed in the for ...
s (generated by
and
) and real numbers (generated by
).
Multiplication
Like
octonion
In mathematics, the octonions are a normed division algebra over the real numbers, a kind of Hypercomplex number, hypercomplex Number#Classification, number system. The octonions are usually represented by the capital letter O, using boldface or ...
s,
multiplication
Multiplication is one of the four elementary mathematical operations of arithmetic, with the other ones being addition, subtraction, and division (mathematics), division. The result of a multiplication operation is called a ''Product (mathem ...
of sedenions is neither
commutative
In mathematics, a binary operation is commutative if changing the order of the operands does not change the result. It is a fundamental property of many binary operations, and many mathematical proofs depend on it. Perhaps most familiar as a pr ...
nor
associative
In mathematics, the associative property is a property of some binary operations that rearranging the parentheses in an expression will not change the result. In propositional logic, associativity is a valid rule of replacement for express ...
. However, in contrast to the octonions, the sedenions do not even have the property of being
alternative
Alternative or alternate may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* Alternative (Kamen Rider), Alternative (''Kamen Rider''), a character in the Japanese TV series ''Kamen Rider Ryuki''
* Alternative comics, or independent comics are an altern ...
. They do, however, have the property of
power associativity
In mathematics, specifically in abstract algebra, power associativity is a property of a binary operation that is a weak form of associativity.
Definition
An algebra (or more generally a magma) is said to be power-associative if the subalgebra g ...
, which can be stated as that, for any element
of
, the power
is well defined. They are also
flexible.
The sedenions have a multiplicative
identity element
In mathematics, an identity element or neutral element of a binary operation is an element that leaves unchanged every element when the operation is applied. For example, 0 is an identity element of the addition of real numbers. This concept is use ...
and multiplicative inverses, but they are not a
division algebra
In the field of mathematics called abstract algebra, a division algebra is, roughly speaking, an algebra over a field in which division, except by zero, is always possible.
Definitions
Formally, we start with a non-zero algebra ''D'' over a fie ...
because they have
zero divisors
In abstract algebra, an element of a ring is called a left zero divisor if there exists a nonzero in such that , or equivalently if the map from to that sends to is not injective. Similarly, an element of a ring is called a right zero ...
: two nonzero sedenions can be multiplied to obtain zero, for example
. All
hypercomplex number
In mathematics, hypercomplex number is a traditional term for an element (mathematics), element of a finite-dimensional Algebra over a field#Unital algebra, unital algebra over a field, algebra over the field (mathematics), field of real numbers. ...
systems after sedenions that are based on the Cayley–Dickson construction also contain zero divisors.
The sedenion multiplication table is shown below:
Sedenion properties
From the above table, we can see that:
:
:
and
:
Anti-associative
The sedenions are not fully anti-associative. Choose any four generators,
and
. The following 5-cycle shows that these five relations cannot all be anti-associative.
In particular, in the table above, using
and
the last expression associates.
Quaternionic subalgebras
The particular sedenion multiplication table shown above is represented by 35 triads. The table and its triads have been constructed from an
octonion
In mathematics, the octonions are a normed division algebra over the real numbers, a kind of Hypercomplex number, hypercomplex Number#Classification, number system. The octonions are usually represented by the capital letter O, using boldface or ...
represented by the bolded set of 7 triads using
Cayley–Dickson construction
In mathematics, the Cayley–Dickson construction, sometimes also known as the Cayley–Dickson process or the Cayley–Dickson procedure produces a sequence of algebra over a field, algebras over the field (mathematics), field of real numbers, eac ...
. It is one of 480 possible sets of 7 triads (one of two shown in the octonion article) and is the one based on the Cayley–Dickson construction of
quaternions
In mathematics, the quaternion number system extends the complex numbers. Quaternions were first described by the Irish mathematician William Rowan Hamilton in 1843 and applied to mechanics in three-dimensional space. The algebra of quaternion ...
from two possible quaternion constructions from the
complex numbers
In mathematics, a complex number is an element of a number system that extends the real numbers with a specific element denoted , called the imaginary unit and satisfying the equation i^= -1; every complex number can be expressed in the form a ...
. The binary representations of the indices of these triples
bitwise XOR
In computer programming, a bitwise operation operates on a bit string, a bit array or a binary numeral (considered as a bit string) at the level of its individual bits. It is a fast and simple action, basic to the higher-level arithmetic opera ...
to 0. These 35 triads are:
Zero divisors
The list of 84 sets of zero divisors
, where
:
Applications
showed that the space of pairs of norm-one sedenions that multiply to zero is
homeomorphic
In mathematics and more specifically in topology, a homeomorphism ( from Greek roots meaning "similar shape", named by Henri Poincaré), also called topological isomorphism, or bicontinuous function, is a bijective and continuous function betw ...
to the compact form of the exceptional
Lie group
In mathematics, a Lie group (pronounced ) is a group (mathematics), group that is also a differentiable manifold, such that group multiplication and taking inverses are both differentiable.
A manifold is a space that locally resembles Eucli ...
G2. (Note that in his paper, a "zero divisor" means a ''pair'' of elements that multiply to zero.)
demonstrated that the three generations of
lepton
In particle physics, a lepton is an elementary particle of half-integer spin (Spin (physics), spin ) that does not undergo strong interactions. Two main classes of leptons exist: electric charge, charged leptons (also known as the electron-li ...
s and
quark
A quark () is a type of elementary particle and a fundamental constituent of matter. Quarks combine to form composite particles called hadrons, the most stable of which are protons and neutrons, the components of atomic nucleus, atomic nuclei ...
s that are associated with unbroken
gauge symmetry
In physics, a gauge theory is a type of field theory in which the Lagrangian, and hence the dynamics of the system itself, does not change under local transformations according to certain smooth families of operations (Lie groups). Formally, t ...
can be represented using the algebra of the complexified sedenions
. Their reasoning follows that a primitive
idempotent
Idempotence (, ) is the property of certain operations in mathematics and computer science whereby they can be applied multiple times without changing the result beyond the initial application. The concept of idempotence arises in a number of pl ...
projector
A projector or image projector is an optical device that projects an image (or moving images) onto a surface, commonly a projection screen. Most projectors create an image by shining a light through a small transparent lens, but some newer type ...
— where
is chosen as an
imaginary unit
The imaginary unit or unit imaginary number () is a mathematical constant that is a solution to the quadratic equation Although there is no real number with this property, can be used to extend the real numbers to what are called complex num ...
akin to
for
in the
Fano plane
In finite geometry, the Fano plane (named after Gino Fano) is a finite projective plane with the smallest possible number of points and lines: 7 points and 7 lines, with 3 points on every line and 3 lines through every point. These points and ...
— that
acts on the
standard basis
In mathematics, the standard basis (also called natural basis or canonical basis) of a coordinate vector space (such as \mathbb^n or \mathbb^n) is the set of vectors, each of whose components are all zero, except one that equals 1. For exampl ...
of the sedenions uniquely divides the algebra into three sets of
split basis elements for
, whose adjoint
left actions ''on themselves'' generate three copies of the
Clifford algebra
In mathematics, a Clifford algebra is an algebra generated by a vector space with a quadratic form, and is a unital associative algebra with the additional structure of a distinguished subspace. As -algebras, they generalize the real number ...
which in-turn contain
minimal left ideals that describe a single generation of
fermion
In particle physics, a fermion is a subatomic particle that follows Fermi–Dirac statistics. Fermions have a half-integer spin (spin 1/2, spin , Spin (physics)#Higher spins, spin , etc.) and obey the Pauli exclusion principle. These particles i ...
s with unbroken
gauge symmetry. In particular, they note that
tensor product
In mathematics, the tensor product V \otimes W of two vector spaces V and W (over the same field) is a vector space to which is associated a bilinear map V\times W \rightarrow V\otimes W that maps a pair (v,w),\ v\in V, w\in W to an element of ...
s between normed division algebras generate zero divisors akin to those inside
, where for
the lack of alternativity and associativity does not affect the construction of minimal left ideals since their underlying split basis requires only two basis elements to be multiplied together, in-which associativity or alternativity are uninvolved. Still, these ideals constructed from an adjoint algebra of left actions of the algebra on itself remain associative, alternative, and
isomorphic
In mathematics, an isomorphism is a structure-preserving mapping or morphism between two structures of the same type that can be reversed by an inverse mapping. Two mathematical structures are isomorphic if an isomorphism exists between the ...
to a Clifford algebra. Altogether, this permits three copies of
to exist inside
. Furthermore, these three complexified octonion subalgebras are not independent; they share a common
subalgebra, which the authors note could form a theoretical basis for
CKM and
PMNS matrices that, respectively, describe
quark mixing and
neutrino oscillation
Neutrino oscillation is a quantum mechanics, quantum mechanical phenomenon in which a neutrino created with a specific lepton lepton number, family number ("lepton flavor": electron, muon, or tau lepton, tau) can later be Quantum measurement, mea ...
s.
Sedenion neural networks provide a means of efficient and compact expression in machine learning applications and have been used in solving multiple time-series and traffic forecasting problems.
See also
*
Pfister's sixteen-square identity
*
Split-complex number
In algebra, a split-complex number (or hyperbolic number, also perplex number, double number) is based on a hyperbolic unit satisfying j^2=1, where j \neq \pm 1. A split-complex number has two real number components and , and is written z=x+y ...
*
PG(3,2)
Notes
References
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*L. S. Saoud and H. Al-Marzouqi, "Metacognitive Sedenion-Valued Neural Network and its Learning Algorithm," in IEEE Access, vol. 8, pp. 144823-144838, 2020,
doi:10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3014690.
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