What are the advantages of phrasing results in terms of exact sequences and commutative diagrams?

Holy cow, go beyond the first homomorphism theorem! For example, if you have a long exact sequence of vector spaces and linear maps $$ 0 \rightarrow V_1 \rightarrow V_2 \rightarrow \cdots \rightarrow V_n \rightarrow 0 $$ then exactness implies that the alternating sum of the dimensions is 0. This generalizes the "rank-nullity theorem" that $\dim(V/W) = \dim V - \dim W$, which is the special case of $0 \rightarrow W \rightarrow V \rightarrow V/W \rightarrow 0$.
Replace vector spaces and linear maps by finite abelian groups and group homomorphisms and instead you find the alternating product of the sizes of the groups has to be 1.

The purpose of this general machinery is not the small cases like the first homomorphism theorem. Exact sequences and commutative diagrams are the only way to think about or formulate large chunks of modern mathematics. For instance, you need commutative diagrams to make sense of universal mapping properties (which is the way many concepts are defined or at least most clearly understood) and to understand the opening scene in the movie "It's My Turn".

Here is a nice exercise. When $a$ and $b$ are relatively prime, $\varphi(ab) = \varphi(a)\varphi(b)$, where $\varphi(n)$ is Euler's $\varphi$-function from number theory. Question: Is there a formula for $\varphi(ab)$ in terms of $\varphi(a)$ and $\varphi(b)$ when $(a,b) > 1$? Yes: $$ \varphi(ab) = \varphi(a)\varphi(b)\frac{(a,b)}{\varphi((a,b))}. $$ You could prove that by the formula for $\varphi(n)$ in terms of prime factorizations, but it wouldn't really explain what is going on because it doesn't provide any meaning to the formula. That's kind of like the proofs by induction which don't really give any insight into what is going on. But it turns out there is a nice 4-term short exact sequence of abelian groups (involving units groups mod $a$, mod $b$, and mod $ab$) such that, when you apply the above "alternating product is 1" result, the general $\varphi$-formula above falls right out. Searching for an explanation of that formula in terms of exact sequences forces you to try to really figure out conceptually what is going on in the formula.


If you are asking why very elementary results like the first isomorphism theorem are phrased in the language of exact sequences/commutative diagrams (rather than why this language is used at all), then there are (at least) two answers: (1) for those who are used to using this language, they frequently think about even those elementary results in terms of it, and so it is natural to write them in that language; (2) we want to train students to learn this language, and have to start somewhere, so we begin by taking elementary results that can be understood in another way, such as the first isomorphism theorem, and then rewrite them in this language for pedagogical purposes.

If you are asking why people use this language at all (which is to say, why are there many people to whom (1) above applies, and why do we want to engage in the educational practice labelled (2) above), then Keith Conrad gives a pretty good answer.

At a slightly broader level of generality, one might cite the old saying "a picture is worth a thousand words", and note that a well-chosen diagram or exact sequence can convey a lot of mathematical information in a succinct and intuitive way (the intuition coming once you have some familiarity with this way of thinking). We have a lot of mathematics to remember, and are always looking for ways to compress our descriptions of things without losing information or becoming unclear. Well-chosen definitions and terminology are one way this is achieved; well-drawn diagrams and exact sequences are another.

Finally, one could note that contemplating diagrams appeals (however slightly) to geometric modes of reasoning. Typically, any method which allows one to import some kind of geometric reasoning into algebra is welcome, since it brings less typically algebraic ways of thinking to bear on algebraic problems.


Putting a proof in terms of commutating diagrams allow you to repeat the same proof in different categories. Maybe you proved something about covering spaces. Reverse the arrows and you can get something about field extensions.

Commutating diagrams allow you to separate which part of the proof is purely category-theoretic and which part of the proof concernings the particular objects and morphisms in the category in question.