FTCE General Knowledge Math Practice Test

What is the term for a number that, when added to a given number, results in zero?

1. Identity

2. Inverse

3. Associative

4. Commutative

The correct answer is: Inverse

The term for a number that, when added to a given number, results in zero is known as the inverse. In the context of addition, the additive inverse of a number is the value that, when combined with the original number, will yield zero. For any given number \( x \), its additive inverse is \( -x \). For instance, if the number is 5, its additive inverse is -5, since \( 5 + (-5) = 0 \). Other terms listed refer to different mathematical concepts. The identity refers to the concept where a number added to zero yields the same number, while associative and commutative properties deal with the grouping and order of addition, respectively. The associative property states that the way in which numbers are grouped does not affect the sum (e.g., \( (a + b) + c = a + (b + c) \)), and the commutative property states that the order of numbers does not affect the sum (e.g., \( a + b = b + a \)). Therefore, the appropriate terminology for a number that sums to zero when added to another number is indeed the inverse.