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What algebraic structure is the set of natural numbers and addition?

I understand that

$$\mathbb{N} \subset \mathbb{Z} \subset \mathbb{Q} \subset \mathbb{R} \subset \mathbb{C}$$

and $\mathbb{Z}$ and $\mathbb{Q}$ are rings and $\mathbb{R}$ and $\mathbb{C}$ are fields with normal addition and multiplication operations (right?)

So what algebraic structure is $\mathbb{N}$?

Mikasa
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qazwsx
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1 Answers1

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The natural numbers assuming $0$ is included are a monoid under multiplication and also a monoid under addition. Under both addition and multiplication $\mathbb N$ is whats called a semiring.

Edit: I might add that $\mathbb N$ under multiplication is actually rather interesting. In particular $(\mathbb N,\cdot)$ is the free abelian monoid on countably many generators.

JSchlather
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    What if 0 is excluded? – qazwsx Jan 23 '13 at 06:44
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    Then you don't get a semiring because you don't have a zero, you also don't have a monoid under addition, it's what's called a semigroup now. But you still have a monoid under multiplication. – JSchlather Jan 23 '13 at 06:48
  • The natural numbers (excluding $0$) under addition would be a semigroup (set with an associative operation, but no inverses and no identity). Under multiplciation, it would still be a monoid (even without $0$, since the identity element under multiplication is $1$). – Charles Boyd Jan 23 '13 at 06:50
  • Could someone recommend a listing of abstract algebraic structures with its features and examples? I have the feeling someone must have tabulated that. – qazwsx Jan 23 '13 at 20:02
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    @Problemania There's this wiki page. – JSchlather Jan 23 '13 at 22:22
  • Would it be more specific and still correct to say that the natural numbers are a commutative/abelian monoid under addition and under multiplication? – semicolon Jan 17 '17 at 18:00