Left and Right Identity are Equivalent

Theorem

Given any algebraic structure (S,), if both a left and right identity exist, then they are equal.

Proof

Let eL be a left identity in S, that is:

aG:eLa=a,

and eR be a right identity in S, that is:

bG:beR=b.

Then, letting a=eR and b=eL, we have that:

eR=eLeR=eL.
Corollary

If an algebraic structure (S,) has two distinct left identities, it has no right identity.

Let e1 and e2 be two left identities in S. If S has a right identity eR, then e1=eR=e2 by two applications of the theorem above. Hence the existence of a right identity implies the uniqueness of the left identity. Therefore if there are two distinct left identities, there does not exist a right identity.