additive identity

American

noun

Mathematics.

an element that when added to a given element in a specified set leaves that element unchanged, as zero in the real-number system.

Etymology

Origin of additive identity

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

What number added to 5 gives the additive identity, 0?

From Textbooks • May 6, 2020

A number and its opposite add to zero, which is the additive identity.

From Textbooks • Apr. 22, 2020

For this reason, we call 0 the additive identity.

From Textbooks • Apr. 22, 2020

Scalar multiplication of vectors satisfies the distributive property, and the zero vector acts as an additive identity.

From Textbooks • Mar. 30, 2016

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023