On some infinitely presented associative algebras

Abstract

We prove here that if F is a finitely generated free associative algebra over the field and R is an ideal of F, then F/R2 is finitely presented if and only if F/R has finite dimension. Amitsur, [1, p. 136] asked whether a finitely generated algebra which is embeddable in matrices over a commutative f algebra is necessarily finitely presented. Let R = F′, the commutator ideal of F, then [4, theorem 6], F/F′2 is embeddable and thus provides a negative answer to his question. Another such example can be found in Small [6]. We also show that there are uncountably many two generator I algebras which satisfy a polynomial identity yet are not embeddable in any algebra of n xn matrices over a commutative algebra.