A graphic generalization of arithmetic

Abstract

In this paper, we extend the classical arithmetic defined over the set of natural numbers N, to the set of all finite directed connected multigraphs having a pair of distinct distinguished vertices. Specifically, we introduce a model F on the set of such graphs, and provide an interpretation of the language of arithmetic L={0,1,<=,+,x} inside F. The resulting model exhibits the property that the standard model on N embeds in F as a submodel, with the directed path of length n playing the role of the standard integer n. We will compare the theory of the larger structure F with classical arithmetic statements that hold in N. For example, we explore the extent to which F enjoys properties like the associativity and commutativity of + and x, distributivity, cancellation and order laws, and decomposition into irreducibles.