Zero-product property

In the mathematical areas of algebra and analysis, the zero-product property, also known as the "zero-product rule", is an abstract and explicit statement of the familiar property from elementary mathematics that if the product of two real numbers is zero, then at least one of the numbers in the product (factors) must be zero.

The zero-product property is the defining characteristic of a type of commutative ring called an integral domain, in which every non-zero element is considered to possess this property.

Informal statement of the zero-product property

* For all numbers "a" and "b", "ab" = 0 implies "a" = 0 or "b" = 0 (or both).

Introduction

Elementary mathematics includes the study of the sets of natural numbers, the integers, the rational numbers, and the real numbers. In each of these there is a number (or element) zero which has two properties:

# that 0 multiplied by any number "a" is 0: that is, 0 × "a" = 0 = "a" × 0 for any "a" in the set;
# if the product of two numbers "a" and "b" is 0 then one or both of "a" or "b" must be zero; otherwise stated, the product of two non-zero numbers is non-zero. Either of these is the zero-product property.

From Property 1 we derive the fact that, for example, 2 × 0 = 0. From Property 2 we know that if 2"x" = 0, where "x" is a real number, then we can be assured that "x" = 0. This is a result of the fact that the zero-product property holds for the real numbers (and also for all of its subsets).

Elementary examples

The zero-product property is used in solving elementary equations in one variable.

* In the solution of a linear equation "ax" + "b" = 0 in the real numbers, where "a" is non-zero, we factorize by "a" to give "a"("x" + "b"/"a") = 0. By the zero-product property, since "a" is not zero, we conclude that "x" + "b"/"a" = 0, which implies that "x" = −"b"/"a".

* In higher-degree polynomial equations the zero-product property may be invoked if the equation can by fully factored. See "Uses in analysis" below.

Algebraic context

The study of algebra involves consideration of sets of elements and operations on them. There are often elements in a set which possess special properties. For example, if "A" is a group with operation + then there is a unique element 0 in "A", called the additive identity, such that

:0 + "a" = "a" = "a" + 0 for all "a" in "A".

If the operation × of multiplication is defined for "A" (such as in the mathematical object known as a ring) then we can define an element 1 in "A", called the multiplicative identity or unity, such that

:1 × "a" = "a" = "a" × 1 for all "a" in "A".

The interplay between the additive and multiplicative operations (where multiplication distributes over addition) leads automatically to Property 1: that 0 × "a" = 0 = "a" × 0 for all "a" in "A" (which is proved below). This is true for any context in which addition and multiplication have group structures defined on the same set (for example, an algebra). Property 2 is, however, "not" a natural consequence of this interplay, as there are algebraic structures in which addition and multiplication are defined which do not have the zero-product property.

The zero-product property

The formal statement of the zero-product property is:

* Let "A" be a ring, and let "B" be a subset of "A". The "zero-product property" holds in "B" if for all elements "a" and "b" in "B" we have "ab" = 0 implies "a" = 0 or "b" = 0.

Examples

* An integral domain is a ring in which, by definition, the zero-product property holds. Thus, for example, the zero-product property holds in the ring of integers modulo "p",

::Z_"p" = {0, 1, 2, ..., "p" − 1}

:where "p" is a prime, the integers Z, the rational numbers Q, the real numbers R, and the complex numbers C since these are all integral domains.

* Since any field is an integral domain, the zero-product property holds in any field.

* In the skew field of quaternions, the zero-product property holds. This ring is not an integral domain, because the multiplication is not commutative.

* Any commutative ring with the zero-product property is "almost" an integral domain (because it may not have unity); this deficiency is not critical, because the construction of the field of fractions works for this ring.

Examples of structures which do not possess the zero-product property

It is not, however, true that the zero-product property necessarily holds in every structure which possesses an additive and multiplicative operation.

* If a commutative ring "R" is not an integral domain, then the zero-product property does not hold: that is, there are non-zero "a" and "b" in "R" such that "ab" = 0. For a specific example of this, if "R" is the ring of integers modulo 6, or Z₆ = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5} then there are 2, 3 in Z₆ such that 2 × 3 ≡ 0 (mod 6) but neither 2 ≡ 0 (mod 6) nor 3 ≡ 0 (mod 6).
* In general, Z_"n", where "n" is a composite number, is not an integral domain and therefore the zero-product property does not hold. For if ::"n" = "m" × "q" : with "m", "q" < "n", then neither "m" nor "q" is equal to 0 (mod "n"), but "m" × "q" = "n" = 0 (mod "n"), violating the zero-product property.
* If "R" is the ring M₂(Z) of 2 by 2 matrices with integer coefficients then there are matrices

:: and

:neither of which is equal to the zero matrix

::

:such that

::,

:so M₂(Z) does not possess the zero-product property.

* The ring of all functions "f" : [0, 1] → R from the unit interval to the real numbers does not possess the zero-product property (that is, is not an integral domain) because there are functions which are not identically equal to zero yet for which their product in the ring is the zero function.

Zero divisors

In a ring "R" the set of elements for which the zero-product rule does "not" hold are called the zero divisors of the ring, denoted by "Z"("R"). Thus "Z"("R") contains every element which can be multiplied by some non-zero element to produce zero. In set notation:

:"Z"("R") = {"r" in "R" | there is a non-zero "s" in "R" such that "rs" = 0 or "sr" = 0}.

Thus the zero divisors of a ring "R" are a measure of how much the zero-product property holds in "R".

* 0 is a zero divisor in any ring except the zero ring.

* The zero divisors of an integral domain consist only of the element 0, or "Z"("R") = {0}.

Uses in analysis

The zero-product property is used in solving polynomial equations over the real numbers, such as quadratic equations.

* For example, when finding all values of "x" which satisfy "x"² + "x" − 6 = 0, we first factor the left side of the equation to obtain ("x" + 3)("x" − 2) = 0. Then, by the zero-product property, we know that either "x" + 3 = 0 (in which case "x" = − 3), or "x" − 2 = 0 (in which case "x" = 2). Thus, our solution is all "x" in the set {−3, 2}.
* This method can be extended to polynomials of higher degree. In general, if a polynomial of degree "n" with coefficients in a ring "R" can be written as a product of factors ("x" − "a"₁)("x" − "a"₂) ... ("x" − "a"_"n") = 0 then the solution set is {"a"₁, "a"₂, ..., "a"_"n"}.

* In the complex numbers the extension given above applies to "any" polynomial. Thus a polynomial "f"("z") of degree "n" over C can be written as a product of "n" factors ("z" − α) where α is one of precisely "n" roots of "f". This is known as the fundamental theorem of algebra.

Note that solving quadratic equations in algebraic structures in which the zero-product property does not hold can lead to surprising results. For example, the quadratic equation

:"x"² − "x" = 0

has solutions {0, 1} in Z, Q, or R, but in Z₆ the solution set is {0, 1, 3, 4} since 3² − 3 = 6 &equiv; 0 (mod 6) and 4² − 4 = 12 &equiv; 0 (mod 6).

Proofs

="a" × 0 = 0=

Let "A" be ring with more than one element and let "a" be a non-zero element of "A". Then "a" × 0 = "a" × ("a" + −"a") = "a"² + (−"a"²) = 0.

ee also

* Fundamental theorem of algebra
* Integral domain
* Prime ideal
* Zero divisors

External links

* [http://planetmath.org/encyclopedia/ZeroRuleOfProduct.html PlanetMath: Zero rule of product]

References

David S. Dummit, Richard M. Foote, "Abstract Algebra", Wiley (3d ed.): 2003, ISBN 0-471-43334-9.