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TheoremStatement: Literature-sourcedProof: AI-generatedSession-authored (Fable 5 assisted)precheck passaudited 2026-08-26
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A module-valued coend is the direct sum of the diagonal values modulo the dinaturality submodule

Statement

Let R be a unital ring, let C be a small category (Small, locally small, and large categories) and let T:Cop×CR-Mod be a functor (Left modules over a fixed ring and module homomorphisms form the large locally small category R-Mod). Write ȷc:T(c,c)cT(c,c) for the coordinate inclusions of the direct sum (The direct sum of an indexed family of modules) and let

S:=  ȷc(T(f,1c)(x))ȷc(T(1c,f)(x))  :  f:cc in C, xT(c,c)  R

be the submodule generated by those elements (Submodule of a module, Generated submodule, cyclic and finitely generated modules, module basis and free module).

Then T has a coend, and it is the direct sum of the diagonal values modulo the dinaturality submodule (The end and the coend of a functor Cop×CD, Quotient module M/N with scalar multiplication on additive cosets):

cT(c,c)=(cT(c,c))/S,ρc=πȷc,

where π is the quotient homomorphism. As in the set-valued case, the generating element x lies in the off-diagonal value T(c,c), and the two terms of the generator sit in the summands at c and at c respectively.

Facts & Assumptions

Given: A unital ring R, a small category C, and a functor T from Cop×C to left R-modules.

[F5]

For a fixed ring R, left R-modules and module homomorphisms form a large locally small category R-Mod (Left modules over a fixed ring and module homomorphisms form the large locally small category R-Mod).

[F8]

A category is small when both Ob(C) and Mor(C) are sets. (Small, locally small, and large categories).

[F1]

The direct sum iIMi is the submodule of the direct product consisting of the families of finite support, with coordinate inclusions ȷi; If I=, both product and direct sum are the zero module. (The direct sum of an indexed family of modules).

[F3]

A subset NM is a submodule when it is a subgroup of the additive group of M and is closed under scalars: rR, nNrnN (Submodule of a module).

[F2]

The submodule generated by SM is SR:={NM:SN}, the smallest submodule of M containing S (Generated submodule, cyclic and finitely generated modules, module basis and free module).

[F4]

For NM the quotient module M/N has the cosets m+N as elements and scalar action r(m+N):=rm+N (Quotient module M/N with scalar multiplication on additive cosets).

[L1]

For every family of homomorphisms fi:MiN there is a unique homomorphism f:iIMiN such that fȷi=fi for every i. It is given by the finite sum of the fi(mi) over the support (Universal property of a direct sum of modules).

[L2]

If f:MP is a homomorphism and NM satisfies Nkerf, there is a unique homomorphism fˉ:M/NP such that fˉ(m+N)=f(m), equivalently f=fˉπ (A module homomorphism vanishing on N factors uniquely through M/N).

[F7]

A cowedge from T to d is a dinatural transformation from T to a constant functor: a family ρc:T(c,c)d with ρcT(f,1c)=ρcT(1c,f) for every f:cc (Wedges and cowedges, and the categories they form).

[F6]

An end of T is a terminal object of the category of wedges over T and a coend an initial object of the category of cowedges under T; in short, an end is a terminal wedge and a coend an initial cowedge (The end and the coend of a functor Cop×CD).

Proof

technique · constructive
1.1

Since C is small its objects form a set, so (T(c,c))cOb(C) is a set-indexed family of left R-modules and the direct sum cT(c,c) with its coordinate inclusions ȷc is formed.

F1F5F8givenconstruct
2.1

The displayed generating elements lie in cT(c,c), so S is the smallest submodule containing them, and Q:=(cT(c,c))/S with quotient homomorphism π is a left R-module. The construction is carried out here rather than obtained from a general cocompleteness theorem, which would assert that the coend exists without exhibiting it.

F2F3F4step 1.1construct
3.1

The family ρc:=πȷc is a cowedge from T to Q: for f:cc and xT(c,c) the difference ρc(T(f,1c)(x))ρc(T(1c,f)(x)) is π applied to a generator of S, hence zero, and each ρc is a homomorphism because the coordinate inclusion ȷc and the quotient map π are.

F1F4F7step 2.1
4.1

Let λc:T(c,c)N be any cowedge. By [L1] there is a unique homomorphism λ:cT(c,c)N with λȷc=λc; the cowedge equations for the family λc make every displayed generator lie in kerλ, and kerλ is a submodule, so Skerλ by [F2]. By [L2] there is a unique λˉ:QN with λˉπ=λ, hence with λˉρc=λc for every c; and any homomorphism μ:QN with μρc=λc satisfies μπȷc=λc, so μπ=λ by the uniqueness in [L1] and μ=λˉ by the uniqueness in [L2]. So (Q,ρ) is an initial cowedge, that is a coend of T.

F6F7L1L2step 3.1
5.1

If C is empty the index set is empty, so by [F1] the direct sum is the zero module, the generating set is empty, S is the zero submodule and Q is the zero module; step 4.1 then says the zero module is the initial cowedge, which is correct because a cowedge under the empty family is just an object and the zero module is initial in R-Mod. This is the asserted presentation of the coend in every case.

F1step 4.1discharge-construct

Remarks

The route is deliberately through the direct-sum and quotient universal properties rather than through a cocompleteness theorem for R-modules: such a theorem says a colimit exists, and what is wanted here is the coequalizer itself, in a form in which an element of the coend can be named as a class of a finite sum.

At f=1c the generator is ȷc(x)ȷc(x)=0, so identity morphisms enlarge S by nothing; and if C is discrete there are no non-identity morphisms at all, S is the zero submodule and the coend is the direct sum of the diagonal values.

Depends on

Used by

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Sources