Automated proofs of the moufang identities in alternative rings

In this paper we present automatic proofs of the Moufang identities in alternative rings. Our approach is based on the term rewriting (Knuth-Bendix completion) method, enforced with various features. Our proofs seem to be the first computer proofs of these problems done by a general purpose theorem prover. We also present a direct proof of a certain property of alternative rings without employing any auxiliary functions. To our knowledge our computer proof seems to be the first direct proof of this property, by human or by a computer.On leave from the Department of Computer Science, UNYY at Stony Brook, New York. Research supported in part by NSF grants CCR-8805734, INT-8715231, and CCR-8901322.