idempotent
- 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.
- 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..
- 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).
- 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.