Counting non-isomorphic generalized Hamilton quaternions

Abstract

In this paper we study the isomorphisms of generalized Hamilton quaternions $\Big(\frac{a,b}{R}\Big)$ where $R$ is a finite unital commutative ring of odd characteristic and $a,b \in R$. We obtain the number of non-isomorphic classes of generalized Hamilton quaternions in the case where $R$ is a principal ideal ring. This extends the case $R=\mathbb{Z}/n\mathbb{Z}$ where $n$ is an odd integer.