What is the term for the negative of a number that results in zero when added to that number?

What is the term for the negative of a number that results in zero when added to that number?

• A. Additive inverse
• B. Multiplicative inverse
• C. Identity inverse
• D. Sum inverse

Answer: (A)

The term for the negative of a number that results in zero when added to that number is known as the additive inverse. For any given number, its additive inverse is the value that, when added to the original number, yields zero. This is based on the principle that any number added to its opposite equals zero, which is a fundamental concept in arithmetic. For example, if the number is 5, its additive inverse is -5. When you add these two together (5 + (-5)), the result is 0. This concept is crucial in various mathematical operations and helps in solving equations, particularly when isolating variables. The other terms provided do not accurately describe this relationship. The multiplicative inverse refers to a number that, when multiplied by the original number, equals one. The identity inverse and sum inverse are not standard terms used in arithmetic operations. Therefore, the correct answer aligns perfectly with the definition and application of additive inverses in mathematics.

The term for the negative of a number that results in zero when added to that number is known as the additive inverse. For any given number, its additive inverse is the value that, when added to the original number, yields zero. This is based on the principle that any number added to its opposite equals zero, which is a fundamental concept in arithmetic.

For example, if the number is 5, its additive inverse is -5. When you add these two together (5 + (-5)), the result is 0. This concept is crucial in various mathematical operations and helps in solving equations, particularly when isolating variables.

The other terms provided do not accurately describe this relationship. The multiplicative inverse refers to a number that, when multiplied by the original number, equals one. The identity inverse and sum inverse are not standard terms used in arithmetic operations. Therefore, the correct answer aligns perfectly with the definition and application of additive inverses in mathematics.