Quadratic and Symmetric Bilinear Forms on Modules with Unique Base Over a Semiring

Abstract

We study quadratic forms on free modules with unique base, the situation that arises in tropical algebra, and prove the analog of Witt's Cancellation Theorem. Also, the tensor product of an indecomposable bilinear module $(U,\gamma )$ with an indecomposable quadratic module $(V,q)$ is indecomposable, with the exception of one case, where two indecomposable components arise.

27 pages