Question

What is the additive identity element in the set of whole numbers?
A. 0
B. -1
C. 1
D. None of these

Answer 1

Hint: This type of question to solve we should know the definition of additive identity. The additive identity property says that if you add a real number to zero or add zero to a real number, then you get the same real number back. The number zero is known as the identity element, or the additive identity.

Complete step-by-step solution -
Additive Identity: It is the number which when added to another number gives you the number itself.
Assume the whole numbers a, b.
According to question
a + b = a
b = a – a
b = 0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (1)
zero is the whole number which satisfies the condition mentioned in question.
So, zero is the additive identity.
Therefore the answer is option A.

Note: For this type of problem to solve we have to know the definition of additive identity. This is a direct problem with the notation a + 0 = 0 + a = a . So two variables are taken and solved with regard to definition.