2006-08-09 11:53:26 · 4 answers · asked by COOKIE 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
An identity element for a binary operation is an element that, when combined (via the operation) with any other element, leaves the value of the other element unchanged. (If you think about it, you will see that there can be at most one such element for a given operation.)
In the context of addition, an identity element is a value x such that x+y = y for any value of y. The (only) value of x that satisfies this property is x = 0.
So the identity element for addition is 0.
2006-08-09 12:00:42 · answer #1 · answered by logician1989 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An additive identity is a number or set of numbers that when added to another number (x) preserves x.
The most common one in basic mathematics is zero.
5 + 0 = 5 = 0+5 the additive identity is 0 in this equation.
2006-08-09 19:01:40 · answer #2 · answered by Jesse 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a number that doesn't change anything when you add.
The additive identity is a fancy name for "zero". When you add zero to something, is doesn't change!
5 + 0 = 5
123 + 0 = 123
cloud + 0 = cloud
There are different kinds of additive identities, but I won't go into those unless you want to get really math geeky.
2006-08-09 20:26:49 · answer #3 · answered by Polymath 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Additive_identity
2006-08-09 18:58:52 · answer #4 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋