How come zero and one are so important to our number system?

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

Zero and one are fundamental to our number system due to their unique properties, such as being the additive and multiplicative identities. In various numeral systems, including binary, decimal, and duodecimal, zero and one maintain their identities, demonstrating their universal significance across different bases. While not all mathematical structures require identities, they are crucial in algebraic systems. The discussion highlights the complementary nature of zero and one in abstract algebra, particularly in groups, fields, and vector spaces.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of additive and multiplicative identities
  • Familiarity with numeral systems: binary, decimal, and duodecimal
  • Basic concepts in abstract algebra, including groups and fields
  • Knowledge of number theory fundamentals
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the properties of additive and multiplicative identities in various algebraic structures
  • Explore the implications of zero and one in abstract algebraic systems
  • Study the differences between numeral systems, focusing on binary and hexadecimal
  • Investigate the role of identities in number theory and its applications
USEFUL FOR

Mathematicians, educators, students of mathematics, and anyone interested in the foundational concepts of number theory and abstract algebra.

Gale
Messages
682
Reaction score
1
How come zero and onw are so important to our number system? they both have oddities about them that are particular only to them... identy properties, division by zero... and whatnot. Is this because we're in a base 10 system? in say binary... are there special numbers like that? or in a base 12 system?

...should this be in number theory?
 
Mathematics news on Phys.org
Well, something has to be the additive and multiplicative identities. :smile:

Ok, that's not entirely true; not all mathematical structures have to have such identities... but identities are very useful things, and pretty much all of the important algebraic structures have them.



Also, binary, decimal, and base-12 (duodecimal, I think) numbers are all the same numbers... these are just different systems of writing them.
 
soo... one and zero retain their identitive properties even in other number systems... i suppose that made sense... same numbers... i guess there's no way to get different numbers... but hmm... how about like... i dunno... i have to think some more...
 
Well, binary, hexadecimal, et cetera are all the same numbers, so 0 and 1 are the same thing in all of them. (They're all written the same way too, of course).


But in other things, such as abstract groups, fields, and vector spaces, we still call the additive and multiplicative identities 0 and 1, but it would be misleading to say they're the "same thing".
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
4K
  • · Replies 29 ·
Replies
29
Views
6K
  • · Replies 22 ·
Replies
22
Views
4K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 24 ·
Replies
24
Views
6K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K