I don't like how 0 is used as three different symbols in the beginning: the numb... | Hacker News

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master-lincoln on May 18, 2015 | parent | context | favorite | on: Elliptic Curve Cryptography: a gentle introduction

I don't like how 0 is used as three different symbols in the beginning: the number, the point of infinity and the identity element. I know 0 is a common symbol for each of the three cases respectively but in the same context it feels rather confusing. Is that a common thing to do?

jordigh on May 26, 2015 | [–]

Yes, it's a very common thing to use the same symbol to mean different things in mathematics.

geogriffin on May 25, 2015 | [–]

the number zero is always defined as being an additive identity element, and in these groups 0 is the point at infinity.

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