ABSTRACT
In this first chapter we shall introduce the two basic concepts of Universal Algebra, operations and algebras, and provide a number of examples of algebras. One of these examples, lattices, is useful in a theoretical way as well: any algebra of any type is accompanied by some lattices, making the theory of lattices important in the study of all algebras. In Section 3 we examine the concept of a subalgebra, and the generation of subalgebras. In Section 4 we look at congruence relations and quotient algebras. Congruence relations on algebras generalize the well-known notion of the congruence modulo n defined on the ring of all integers, and quotient algebras generalize the construction of quotient or residue rings modulo n.
