Zero Divisor

Definition

An element a in a ring R is called a zero divisor if there exists a non-zero element b such that

ab=ba=0.

Note that this is a generalisation of the ideas of a left zero divisor (ab=0) and a right zero divisor (ba=0) in non-commutative rings.

Assuming the ring is not just the zero non-unital ring R={0} then 0 is always a zero divisor. This terminology may seem confusing given that of course one cannot divide by zero, however this definition exists in the absence of a proper notion of division, which doesn't exist in general rings.

A ring which has no non-zero zero divisors is said to have the zero product property and is called a domain.


Example

2×20(mod4) so 2 is a zero divisor in Z4.

Example

The ring of n×n matrices over a field has zero divisors such as

[1000][0001]=[0000]