Avoiding local variable declarations?

[Arnaud Delobelle]

greg <greg at cosc.canterbury.ac.nz> writes:

> Arnaud Delobelle wrote:
>
>> Neutral element is correct.  But maybe its use is limited to
>> mathematicians in the english-speaking word.
>
> I've only ever seen "identity element" in English mathematics.
> "Neutral element" sounds like something my car's gearbox
> might have...

I was an academic mathematician for several years (although not a very
good one) and I can assure you that 'neutral element' is correct and
understood. 'Unit element' is another common synonym.

Unfortunately I can't find a reference in one of the few books in
English that I have at home.  Lang's "Algebra" does not seem to use the
term and it's the only undergraduate book I've got.  Wikipedia and other
internet sources cite 'neutral element' as a synonym to 'identity
element'.

-- 
Arnaud