Hungerford's Algebra poses the question: Is it true that a semigroup $G$ that has a left identity element and in which every element has a right inverse is a group?
Now, If both the identity and the inverse are of the same side, this is simple. For, instead of the above, say every element has a left inverse. For $a \in G$ denote this left inverse by $a^{-1}$. Then
$$(aa^{-1})(aa^{-1}) = a(a^{-1}a)a^{-1} = aa^{-1}$$
and we can use the fact that
$$cc = c \Longrightarrow c = 1$$
to get that inverses are in fact two-sided:
$$ aa^{-1} = 1$$
From which it follows that
$$a = 1 \cdot a = (aa^{-1})a = a (a^{-1}a) = a \cdot 1$$
as desired.
But in the scenario given we cannot use $cc = c \Longrightarrow c = 1$, and I can see no other way to prove this. At the same time, I cannot find a counter-example. Is there a simple resolution to this question?