Let ℕ represent the positive integers and ℕ₀ the non-negative integers. If b ∈ ℕ and Γ is a multiplicatively closed subset of ${\mathbb{Z}}_b=\mathbb{Z}/b\mathbb{Z}$, then the set $H_{\Gamma }=x\in \mathbb{N}|x+b\mathbb{Z}\in \Gamma \cup 1$ is a multiplicative submonoid of ℕ known as a congruence monoid. An arithmetical congruence monoid (or ACM) is a congruence monoid where Γ = ā consists of a single element. If $H_{\Gamma }$ is an ACM, then we represent it with the notation M(a,b) = (a + bℕ₀) ∪ 1, where a, b ∈ ℕ and a² ≡ a (mod b). A classical 1954 result of James and Niven implies that the only ACM...

This paper deals with the decidability of semigroup freeness. More precisely, the freeness problem over a semigroup S is defined as: given a finite subset X ⊆ S, decide whether each element of S has at most one factorization over X. To date, the decidabilities of the following two freeness problems have been closely examined. In 1953, Sardinas and Patterson proposed a now famous algorithm for the freeness problem over the free monoids....

This paper deals with the decidability of semigroup freeness. More precisely, the freeness problem over a semigroup S is defined as: given a finite subset X ⊆ S, decide whether each element of S has at most one factorization over X. To date, the decidabilities of the following two freeness problems have been closely examined. In 1953, Sardinas and Patterson proposed a now famous algorithm for the freeness problem over the free monoids. In 1991, Klarner, Birget and Satterfield proved the undecidability...

This paper deals with the decidability of semigroup freeness. More precisely, the freeness problem over a semigroup S is defined as: given a finite subset X ⊆ S, decide whether each element of S has at most one factorization over X. To date, the decidabilities of the following two freeness problems have been closely examined. In 1953, Sardinas and Patterson proposed a now famous algorithm for the freeness problem over the free monoids....

If $a$ and $b$ are positive integers with $a\le b$ and $a^2\equiv a\mathrm{mod}b$, then the set$$M_{a,b}=\{x\in \mathbb{N}:x\equiv a\mathrm{mod}b\text{or}x=1\}$$is a multiplicative monoid known as an arithmetical congruence monoid (or ACM). For any monoid $M$ with units $M^{\times }$ and any $x\in M\setminus M^{\times }$ we say that $t\in \mathbb{N}$ is a factorization length of $x$ if and only if there exist irreducible elements $y_1,...,y_t$ of $M$ and $x=y_1\cdots y_t$. Let $ℒ\left(x\right)=\{t_1,...,t_j\}$ be the set of all such lengths (where $t_i\<t_{i+1}$ whenever $i\<j$). The Delta-set of the element $x$ is defined as the set of gaps in $ℒ\left(x\right)$: $\Delta \left(x\right)=\{t_{i+1}-t_i:1\le i\<k\}$ and the Delta-set of the monoid $M$ is given by ${\bigcup }_{x\in M\setminus M^{\times }}\Delta \left(x\right)$. We consider the $\Delta \left(M\right)$ when $M=M_{a,b}$ is an ACM with...