A personal driver's license number is one form of identity.
Your driver's license number allows you to be recognized as a separate driver who is different from all other drivers. Your driver's license number is a distinct and unique number which is yours alone.
However, your diver's license number is also part of a large group of license numbers. It is only one number within a large group of numbers (called a set).
Identity Property - an example is shown below
An identity property only applies to a group of numbers as a whole (a set). It does not apply to individual numbers within the set.
The identity property can be illustrated using the "clock" analogy as follows:
The clock (shown above) cannot display all real numbers. The clock can only display hours, minutes, and seconds up to and including 12 hours.
The set of numbers used by the clock is: all times up to 12 hours.
The time displayed by the clock has an identity. It is 2:15. 2:15 is distinct and unique from all the other times which could be displayed by the clock (am and pm are not shown the a 12 hour clock used in this example).
The time on the clock will change.
One hour later, the time on the clock will say 3:15. 3:15 has a completely different identity than 2:15.
Identity Property (The Identity Property is a property which applies to the entire set of numbers which can be displayed by the clock. The identity property does not apply to individual numbers by themselves.)
Of all the times (numbers) that can be displayed by the clock, the number 12 hours has a unique quality. If 12 hours is added to any time shown on the clock, the clock continues to show the original time. (The original time does not loose its identity.)
The time currently displayed on the clock is 2:15. However, if 12 hours is added to 2:15, the clock will continue to show 2:15.
The number 12 hours is called an identity element (also called a neutral element). Every number on the clock remains unchanged whenever 12 hours is added to it.
Because the number 12 hours has this unique quality, the set of numbers used by the clock possesses an Identity Property of addition.
Identity Properties for the set of all Real Numbers
-
An additive identity is a number that can be added to any number without changing the value of that other number.
The additive identity for the set of all real numbers is 0 (zero). The number 0 can be added to any real number without changing its value.
Example 1:
(positive integers)
2 + 0 = 2
Example 2:
(negative numbers)
-2 + 0 = -2
Example 3:
(fractions)
¾ + 0 = ¾
Example 4:
(decimals)
1.1 + 0 = 1.1
Example 5:
(algebraic notation)
a + 0 = a
An multiplicative identity is a number that can be multiplied by any number without changing the value of that other number.
The multiplicative identity for the set of all real numbers is 1 (one). Any real number can be multiplied by the number 1 without changing its value.
Example 1:
(positive integers)
2 * 1 = 2
Example 2:
(negative numbers)
-2 * 1 = -2
Example 3:
(fractions)
¾ * 1 = ¾
Example 4:
(decimals)
1.1 * 1 = 1.1
Example 5:
(algebraic notation)
a * 1 = a
The Multiplicative Identity of 1 is the key to adding fractions with different denominators:
Example 1:
add the following two fractions
+
(1) Using the Multiplicative Identity of 1, multiply each fraction by 1.
Note:
Multiplying a fraction by 1
does not change the value
of the fraction:
multiplied by 1 is still
multiplied by 1 is still
(2) Replace the Multiplicative Identity of 1, with a fraction. Select the fraction as follows:
(3) Complete the Multiplication of the two groups of fractions.
Note that after the multiplication is complete, the denominators of both
of the remaining fractions are the same:
Note:
The denominators of both of the remaining fractions are the same.
(4) Add the Fractions. The two remaining fractions can now be
added since their denominators are the same:
Example 2:
add the following two fractions
+
(1) Using the Multiplicative Identity of 1, multiply each fraction by 1.
Note:
Multiplying a fraction by 1
does not change the value
of the fraction:
multiplied by 1 is still
multiplied by 1 is still
(2) Replace the Multiplicative Identity of 1, with a fraction. Select the fraction as follows:
(3) Complete the Multiplication of the two groups of fractions.
Note that after the multiplication is complete, the denominators of both
of the remaining fractions are the same:
Note:
The denominators of both of the remaining fractions are the same.
(4) Add the Fractions. The two remaining fractions can now be
added since their denominators are the same:
Free Resources
Identity Properties
Videos
Slide Show
Flash Cards
Basic Properties Numbers Poster
Matching Properties
is still 
is still 
is still 
is still 
