If $R^m \cong R^n$ must $m=n$?

Abstract

A fundamental theorem of linear algebra asserts that every basis for the vector space $\mathbb{R}^n$ has $n$ elements. In this expository note we present a theorem of W. G. Leavitt describing one way in which this invariant basis number property can fail when one does linear algebra over rings, rather than over fields. We give a proof of Leavitt's theorem that combines ideas of P. M. Cohn and A. L. S. Corner into an elementary form requiring only a nodding acquaintance with matrices and modular arithmetic.