zero divisor meaning: definition, quotations

zero divisor

noun

Algebra, Mathematics, Sciences An element a of a ring R for which there exists some nonzero element x ∈ R such that either ax = 0 or xa = 0.

An idempotent element e#92;ne 1 of a ring is always a (two-sided) zero divisor, since e(1-e)#61;0#61;(1-e)e.
Linnell [25, 1977] proved that if G is a torsion-free abelian by locally finite by super-solvable group and K is any field, then K[G] has no nontrivial zero divisors.1984, J. B. Srivastava, “23: Projective Modules, Zero Divisors, and Noetherian Group Algebras”, in Dinesh N. Manocha, editor, Algebra and its Applications, CRC Press, page 170:

2 more examples

In the ring of integers, there are no zero divisors except 0. In a ring obtained from a Boolean algebra, on the other hand, every element except the identity is a zero-divisor. The concept of a zero-divisor is intimately related to cancellation law as we see n the following proposition. 1.7 Proposition: Let R be a ring and x#92;inR. Then for all y,x#92;inR, either of the equations xy#61;xz or yx#61;zx implies y#61;z if and only if x is not a zero divisor. In other words, cancellation by an element is possible iff it is not a zero-divisor.1989, K. D. Joshi, Foundations of Discrete Mathematics, New Age International, page 390:
In [1], Anderson and Livingston introduced and studied the zero-divisor graph whose vertices are the non-zero zero-divisors.2010, Mitsuo Kanemitsu, “The Number of Distinct 4-Cycles and 2-Matchings of Some Zero Divisor Graphs”, in Masami Ito, Yuji Kobayashi, Kunitaka Shoji, editors, Automata, Formal Languages and Algebraic Systems: Proceedings of AFLAS 2008, World Scientific, page 63:

Algebra, Mathematics, Sciences A nonzero element a of a ring R for which there exists some nonzero element x ∈ R such that either ax = 0 or xa = 0.

If R is an integral domain, that is, has no zero divisors, then R#91;x#93; also has no zero divisors.2000, Lindsay N. Childs, A Concrete Introduction to Higher Algebra, 2nd edition, Springer, page 234:
An element a of a ring is called a zero-divisor if a#92;ne 0 and ab#61;0 or ba#61;0 for some b#92;ne 0; if a is neither 0 nor a zero-divisor, it is said to be regular (see Section 7.1). A non-trivial ring without zero-divisors is called an integral domain; this term is not taken to imply commutativity.2002, Paul M. Cohn, Further Algebra and Applications, Springer, page xi:

1 more example

If a and b are non-zero elements of R such that ab#61;0, then aandb are both called zero divisors. If R is non-trivial and has no zero divisors, then it is called an integral domain. Note that if a is a unit in R, it cannot be a zero divisor (if ab#61;0, then multiplying both sides of this equation by a#123;-1#125; yields b#61;0.2009, Victor Shoup, A Computational Introduction to Number Theory and Algebra, 2nd edition, Cambridge University Press, page 171:

Antonyms: regular element
Derived terms: zero divisor graph
Related terms: annihilator, integral domain, nilpotent
Hyponyms: trivial zero divisor, exact zero divisor, left zero divisor, right zero divisor, two-sided zero divisor