Algebras Defined from Ordered Sets and the Varieties they Generate

We investigate ways of representing ordered sets as algebras and how the order relation is reflected in the algebraic properties of the variety (equational class) generated by these algebras. In particular we consider two different but related methods for constructing an algebra with one binary operation from an arbitrary ordered set with a top element. The two varieties generated by all these algebras are shown to be well-behaved in that they are locally finite, finitely based, and have an equationally definable order relation. We exhibit a bijection between the subdirectly irreducible algebras in each variety and the class of all ordered sets with top element. We determine the structure and cardinality of the free algebra on n free generators and provide sharp bounds on the number of n-generated algebras in each variety. These enumeration results involve the number of quasi-orders on an n-element set.