ALGEBRA A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z                    HOME ABOUT CATEGORIES SITE MAP COPYRIGHT ADVERTISE CONTACT entire Web this site associative Three numbers, x, y, and z, are said to be associative under addition if x + (y + z) = (x + y) + z and to be associative under multiplication if x × (y × z) = (x × y) × z In general, three elements a, b, and c of a set S are associative under the binary operation (an operation that works on two elements at a time) * if a * (b * c) = (a * b) * c The word incorporates the Greek root soci, from which we also get "social," and may have been first used in the modern mathematical sense by William Hamilton around 1850. Compare with distributive and commutative. Related category    • ALGEBRA Also on this site: Encyclopedia of Alternative Energy & Sustainable Living Encyclopedia of History Transport Concepts & Designs (partner site) BACK TO TOP