In mathematics, an identity element or neutral element of a binary operation is an element that leaves unchanged every element when the operation is applied. For example, 0 is an identity element of the addition of real numbers. This concept is used in algebraic structures such as groups and rings. The term identity element is often shortened to identity (as in the case of additive identity and multiplicative identity) when there is no possibility of confusion, but the identity implicitly depends on the binary operation it is associated with.
Let (S, ∗) be a set S equipped with a binary operation ∗. Then an element e of S is called a if e ∗ s = s for all s in S, and a if s ∗ e = s for all s in S. If e is both a left identity and a right identity, then it is called a , or simply an .
An identity with respect to addition is called an (often denoted as 0) and an identity with respect to multiplication is called a (often denoted as 1). These need not be ordinary addition and multiplication—as the underlying operation could be rather arbitrary. In the case of a group for example, the identity element is sometimes simply denoted by the symbol . The distinction between additive and multiplicative identity is used most often for sets that support both binary operations, such as rings, integral domains, and fields. The multiplicative identity is often called in the latter context (a ring with unity). This should not be confused with a unit in ring theory, which is any element having a multiplicative inverse. By its own definition, unity itself is necessarily a unit.
In the example S = {e,f} with the equalities given, S is a semigroup. It demonstrates the possibility for (S, ∗) to have several left identities. In fact, every element can be a left identity. In a similar manner, there can be several right identities. But if there is both a right identity and a left identity, then they must be equal, resulting in a single two-sided identity.
To see this, note that if l is a left identity and r is a right identity, then l = l ∗ r = r.
This page is automatically generated and may contain information that is not correct, complete, up-to-date, or relevant to your search query. The same applies to every other page on this website. Please make sure to verify the information with EPFL's official sources.
In mathematics, rings are algebraic structures that generalize fields: multiplication need not be commutative and multiplicative inverses need not exist. In other words, a ring is a set equipped with two binary operations satisfying properties analogous to those of addition and multiplication of integers. Ring elements may be numbers such as integers or complex numbers, but they may also be non-numerical objects such as polynomials, square matrices, functions, and power series.
Multiplication (often denoted by the cross symbol , by the mid-line dot operator , by juxtaposition, or, on computers, by an asterisk ) is one of the four elementary mathematical operations of arithmetic, with the other ones being addition, subtraction, and division. The result of a multiplication operation is called a product. The multiplication of whole numbers may be thought of as repeated addition; that is, the multiplication of two numbers is equivalent to adding as many copies of one of them, the multiplicand, as the quantity of the other one, the multiplier; both numbers can be referred to as factors.
In mathematics, a group is a non-empty set with an operation that satisfies the following constraints: the operation is associative, has an identity element, and every element of the set has an inverse element. Many mathematical structures are groups endowed with other properties. For example, the integers with the addition operation is an infinite group, which is generated by a single element called 1 (these properties characterize the integers in a unique way).
Discrete mathematics is a discipline with applications to almost all areas of study. It provides a set of indispensable tools to computer science in particular. This course reviews (familiar) topics a
La modélisation numérique des solides est abordée à travers la méthode des éléments finis. Les aspects purement analytiques sont d'abord présentés, puis les moyens d'interpolation, d'intégration et de
Text, sound, and images are examples of information sources stored in our computers and/or communicated over the Internet. How do we measure, compress, and protect the informatin they contain?
The invention relates to a surgical device (10), comprising a tubular outer shaft (12,) and an inner element (14) having an elongated shape, the outer shaft comprising a distal (30a) and a proximal (30b) outer hinges, the inner element comprising an inner ...
2022
,
Research on founder identity has significantly advanced our understanding of entrepreneurship and related literatures. By departing from the widely held-though often implicit-assumption that culture defines the parameters of identity formation, this paper ...
We prove an identity relating the permanent of a rank 2 matrix and the determinants of its Hadamard powers. When viewed in the right way, the resulting formula looks strikingly similar to an identity of Carlitz and Levine, suggesting the possibility that t ...