Algebraic K-theory of endomorphism rings

Abstract

We establish formulas for computation of the higher algebraic $K$-groups of the endomorphism rings of objects linked by a morphism in an additive category. Let ${\mathcal C}$ be an additive category, and let $Y\ra X$ be a covariant morphism of objects in ${\mathcal C}$. Then $K_n\big(_{\mathcal C}(X\oplus Y)\big)\simeq K_n\big(_{{\mathcal C},Y}(X)\big)\oplus K_n\big(_{\mathcal C}(Y)\big)$ for all $1\le n\in \mathbb{N}$, where $_{{\mathcal C},Y}(X)$ is the quotient ring of the endomorphism ring $_{\mathcal C}(X)$ of $X$ modulo the ideal generated by all those endomorphisms of $X$ which factorize through $Y$. Moreover, let $R$ be a ring with identity, and let $e$ be an idempotent element in $R$. If $J:=ReR$ is homological and $_RJ$ has a finite projective resolution by finitely generated projective $R$-modules, then $K_n(R)\simeq K_n(R/J)\oplus K_n(eRe)$ for all $n\in \mathbb{N}$. This reduces calculations of the higher algebraic $K$-groups of $R$ to those of the quotient ring $R/J$ and the corner ring $eRe$, and can be applied to a large variety of rings: Standardly stratified rings, hereditary orders, affine cellular algebras and extended affine Hecke algebras of type $\tilde{A}$.