idempotent

  1. Adjective.  (mathematics) (computing) Describing an action which, when performed multiple times, has no further effect on its subject after the first time it is performed.
  2. Adjective.  (mathematics) ''Said of an element of an algebraic structure (such as a group or semigroup) with a binary operation'': that when the element operates on itself, the result is equal to itself..
  3. Adjective.  (mathematics) ''Said of a binary operation'': that all of the distinct elements it can operate on are idempotent (in the sense given just above).
  4. Noun.  An idempotent ring or other structure.

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This entry was last updated on RefTopia from its source on 3/20/2012.