1. the number 0 (for the real numbers) distributive property 2. a(b + c) = ab + ac or a(b - c) = ab - ac literal equation 3. an equation containing more than one variable multiplicative inverse 4. the number 1 (for the real numbers) additive identity 5. the reciprocal of a number; if x is a number other than zero, then 1/x is the multiplicative inverse; the product of a number and its multiplicative inverse is 1 multiplicative identity