In mathematics, in particular abstract algebra, a graded ring is a ring that is a direct sum of abelian groups $R_i$ such that $R_i R_j \subset R_{i+j}$. The index set is usually the set of nonnegative integers or the set of integers, but can be any monoid or group. The direct sum decomposition is usually referred as gradation (or grading).

A graded module is defined similarly (see below for the precise definition). It generalizes graded vector spaces. A graded module that is also a ring is called a graded algebra. A graded ring could also be viewed as a graded Z-algebra.

A graded ring A is a ring that has a direct sum decomposition into (abelian) additive groups

$A = \bigoplus_{n\in \mathbb N}A_n = A_0 \oplus A_1 \oplus A_2 \oplus \cdots$

such that $A_s A_r \subseteq A_{s + r}.$

Elements of any factor $A_n$ of the decomposition are called homogeneous elements of degree n. An ideal or other subset $\mathfrak{a}$A is homogeneous if every element a$\mathfrak{a}$ is the sum of homogeneous elements that belong to $\mathfrak{a}.$ For a given a these homogeneous elements are uniquely defined and are called the homogeneous parts of a. Equivalently, an ideal is homogeneous if for each a in the ideal, when a=a1+a2+...+an with all ai homogeneous elements, then all the ai are in the ideal.

If I is a homogeneous ideal in A, then $A/I$ is also a graded ring, and has decomposition

$A/I = \bigoplus_{n\in \mathbb N}(A_n + I)/I.$

Any (non-graded) ring A can be given a gradation by letting A0 = A, and Ai = 0 for i > 0. This is called the trivial gradation on A.

Example: The polynomial ring $A = k[t_1, \ldots, t_n]$ is graded by degree: it is a direct sum of $A_i$ consisting of homogeneous polynomials of degree i.

Example: Let S be the set of all nonzero homogeneous elements in a graded integral domain R. Then the localization of R with respect to S is a Z-graded ring.

## First properties

• $A_0$ is a subring of A.
• A commutative $\mathbb{N}$-graded ring $A=\oplus_0^\infty A_i$ is a Noetherian ring if and only if $A_0$ is Noetherian and A is finitely generated as an algebra over $A_0$.[1] For such a ring, the generators may be taken to be homogeneous.

The corresponding idea in module theory is that of a graded module, namely a left module M over a graded ring A such that also

$M = \bigoplus_{i\in \mathbb N}M_i ,$

and

$A_iM_j \subseteq M_{i+j}.$

A morphism between graded modules is a morphism of underlying modules that respects gradinging; i.e., $f(N_i) \subseteq M_i$ for $f: N \to M$. A graded submodule is a submodule such that the set-theoretic inclusion is a morphism of graded modules. Explicitly, N is a submodule of M if and only if $N_i = N \cap M_i$. The kernel and the image of a morphism of graded modules are graded submodules.

Example: a graded ring is a graded module over itself. An ideal in a graded ring is homogeneous if and only if it is a graded submodule. A subring is, by definition, a graded subring if it is a graded submodule. The annihilator of a graded module is a homogeneous ideal.

Given a graded module M, the l-twist of $M(l)$ is a graded module defined by $M(l)_n = M_{n+l}$. (cf. Serre's twisting sheaf in algebraic geometry.)

Let M and N be graded modues. If $f: M \to N$ is a morphism of modules, then f is said to have degree d if $f(M_n) \subset N_{dn}$. A differential in differential geometry is an example of such a morphism having negative degree.

Given a graded module M over a commutative graded ring A, one can associate the formal power series $P(M, t) \in \mathbb{Z}[\![t]\!]$:

$P(M, t) = \sum \ell(M_n) t^n$

(assuming $\ell(M_n)$ are finite.) It is called the Hilbert–Poincaré series of M.

A graded module is said to be finitely generated if the underlying module is finitely generated. The generators may be taken to be homogeneous (by replacing the generators by their homogeneous parts.)

Suppose A is a polynomial ring $k[x_0, \dots, x_n]$, k a field, and M a finitely generated graded module over it. Then the function $n \mapsto \dim_k M_n$ is called the Hilbert function of M. The function coincides with the integer-valued polynomial for large n called the Hilbert polynomial of M.

An algebra A over a ring R is a graded algebra if it is graded as a ring.

In the usual case where the ring R is not graded (in particular if R is a field), it is given the trivial grading (every element of "R" is of grade 0). Thus RA0 and the Ai are R modules.

In the case where the ring R is also a graded ring, then one requires that

$A_iR_j \subseteq A_{i+j}$

and

$R_iA_j \subseteq A_{i+j}$

Examples of graded algebras are common in mathematics:

Graded algebras are much used in commutative algebra and algebraic geometry, homological algebra and algebraic topology. One example is the close relationship between homogeneous polynomials and projective varieties. (cf. homogeneous coordinate ring.)

The above definitions have been generalized to gradings ring using any monoid G as an index set. A G-graded ring A is a ring with a direct sum decomposition

$A = \bigoplus_{i\in G}A_i$

such that

$A_i A_j \subseteq A_{i \cdot j}.$

The notion of "graded ring" now becomes the same thing as a N-graded ring, where N is the monoid of non-negative integers under addition. The definitions for graded modules and algebras can also be extended this way replacing the indexing set N with any monoid G.

Remarks:

• If we do not require that the ring have an identity element, semigroups may replace monoids.

Examples:

• A group naturally grades the corresponding group ring; similarly, monoid rings are graded by the corresponding monoid.
• A superalgebra is another term for a Z2-graded algebra. Examples include Clifford algebras. Here the homogeneous elements are either of degree 0 (even) or 1 (odd).

## Anticommutativity

Some graded rings (or algebras) are endowed with an anticommutative structure. This notion requires a homomorphism of the monoid of the gradation into the additive monoid of Z/2Z, the field with two elements. Specifically, a signed monoid consists of a pair (Γ, ε) where Γ is a monoid and ε : Γ → Z/2Z is a homomorphism of additive monoids. An anticommutative Γ-graded ring is a ring A graded with respect to Γ such that:

xy=(-1)ε (deg x) ε (deg y)yx, for all homogeneous elements x and y.

### Examples

• An exterior algebra is an example of an anticommutative algebra, graded with respect to the structure (Z≥ 0, ε) where ε: ZZ/2Z is the quotient map.
• A supercommutative algebra (sometimes called a skew-commutative associative ring) is the same thing as an anticommutative (Z/2Z, ε) -graded algebra, where ε is the identity endomorphism of the additive structure of Z/2Z.