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If $M$ is an $R$-module and $M_1, M_2$ are submodules of $M$, then one can construct the ideal $\{ r \in R \mid rM_2 \subseteq M_1 \}$, which is denoted $(M_1 : M_2)$. Does this construction have a name?

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    I would probably call it an annihilator if I had to choose a name2012-06-15

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I would call it the residual $(M_1:M_2)$ because of some papers I encountered by Ward, Dilworth and others that were oriented around residuated lattices.

To keep the story short, I'll just say that they were abstracting commutative ring ideas out to the study of the lattice of ideals. The residual can be used to make a residuated mapping on the lattice of ideals of a ring.

Residuals pop up with different terminology and in tangential ideas:

  • If $M_1$ and $M_2$ are ideals in a ring, then it is also called the ideal quotient. I have also seen transporter and conductor applied, even when $M_1$ is merely a set.

  • When $M_1=\{0\}$ this is just another way of writing the annihilator of $M_2$. In fact you can think of it this way in general: $(M_1:M_2)=\mathrm{ann}((M_2+M_1)/M_1)$.

  • When $M_1$ is a right ideal of a ring, then $(M_1:M_1)$ (as you have defined it) is the idealizer of $M_1$. It is the largest subring of $R$ in which $M_1$ is a two-sided ideal.

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    @MattN. You're welcome to hop on the "residual" bandwagon at any time!2012-06-15