During an investigation into the existence of Gauss-type quadrature formulae for the numerical solution of Fredholm integral equations with weakly singular kernels an intermediate result was found which is of independent interest.

We proved in (1) that every continuous endomorphism can be generated on a subring of the field M. More precisely, the ring H of piecewise polynomial functions has the property that every isomorphism from H into M, continuous in the sequential topology of H, can be extended to a continuous endomorphism of M where the notion of continuity in M is the usual sequential one.

In this note we show that the variety of near-rings generated by d.g. near-rings is the class of all near-rings R satisfying

This extends a result of J. J. Malone (3) on the embedding of near-rings.

Throughout this note A denotes a ring with identity, and “ module ” means “ left unitary module ”. In (2), C. Yohe studied elemental annihilator rings (e.a.r. for brevity). An e.a.r. is defined as a ring in which every ideal is the annihilator of an element of the ring. For example, a semi-simple, Artinian ring is an e.a.r. A is a l.e.a.r. (left elemental annihilator ring) if every left ideal is the left annihilator of an element of the ring. A r.e.a.r. (right elemental annihilator ring) is denned similarly.

In (1; p. 38), A. P. Guinand discusses the plane partition function q(n). He observes that q(3), q(6), q(9), q(15), q(18), q(21), and q(24) are respectively 6, 48, 282, 1479, 6879, 29601, 118794, and 451194. As all these are multiples of 3 he suggests the conjecture that q(3n) ≡ 0 (mod 3) for all positive integers n.

Let S be a compact semigroup (with jointly continuous multiplication) and let P(S) denote the probability measures on S, i.e. the positive regular Borel measures on S with total mass one. Then P(S) is a compact semigroup with convolution multiplication and the weak* topology. Let II(P(S)) denote the set of primitive (or minimal) idempotents in P(S). Collins (2) and Pym (5) respectively have given complete descriptions of II(P(S)) when S is a group and when K(S), the kernel of S, is not a group. Choy (1) has given some characterizations of II(P(S)) for the general case. In this paper we present some detailed and intrinsic characterizations of II((P(S)) for various classes of compact semigroups that are not covered by the results of Collins and Pym.

The equation of the osculating plane at a point on the complete irreducible curve of intersection of two algebraic surfaces in [3] was found by Hesse (5, p. 283); the plane, having to contain the tangent of the curve, belongs to the pencil spanned by the tangent planes of the two surfaces, and it is a question of determining which plane of the pencil to choose. The equation also appears in the books of Salmon (6, p. 378) and Baker (1, p. 206). The analogous problem for the osculating solid at a point on the complete irreducible curve of intersection of three algebraic primals, or threefolds, in [4] does not appear to have been considered. The simplest instance is the octavic curve C of intersection of three quadrics, and this has the special interest of being a canonical curve; moreover the quadrics are of the same order, and so can be replaced by any three linearly independent members of the net which they determine, a replacement of which it may be prudent to take advantage with a view to simplifying the algebra. It is a question of determining which solid to choose among the tangent solids to the quadrics of the net at a point on C, but while Hesse's methods serve to carry one a certain distance there seems no obvious way of pushing them to a conclusion. It is then natural, with a view to reaching a conclusion, to choose a net of quadrics that, through having some particular property, is more amenable.

We refer to (1) for the definitions of Un and Hn. Our object is to find asymptotic expansions for Un and Hn for large n. This enables us to improve the approximations to Un and Hn for large n found in the last two pages of (1).