On, Around, and Beyond Frobenius' Theorem on Division Algebras

Abstract

Frobenius' Theorem states that the algebra of quaternions $\mathbb H$ is, besides the fields of real and complex numbers, the only finite-dimensional real division algebra. We first give a short elementary proof of this theorem, then characterize finite-dimensional real algebras that contain either a copy of $\mathbb C$, a copy of $\mathbb H$, or a pair of anticommuting invertible elements through the dimensions of their (left) ideals, and finally consider the problem of lifting algebraic elements modulo ideals.