A '''binary operation''' is a [[mathematical operation]] (a.k.a. [[function]]) that takes two [[argument]]s (or inputs) and returns one output. Common examples of binary operations are [[addition]], which takes the two [[addend]]s as arguments and returns a [[sum]], and [[multiplication]], which takes two [[factor]]s as arguments and returns a [[product]]. The word "[[binary]]" means ''two''; there are also [[unary operation]]s (1 argument), ternary operations (3 arguments) and more generally, ''n''-ary operations (''n'' arguments). | A '''binary operation''' is a [[mathematical operation]] (a.k.a. [[function]]) that takes two [[argument]]s (or inputs) and returns one output. Common examples of binary operations are [[addition]], which takes the two [[addend]]s as arguments and returns a [[sum]], and [[multiplication]], which takes two [[factor]]s as arguments and returns a [[product]]. The word "[[binary]]" means ''two''; there are also [[unary operation]]s (1 argument), ternary operations (3 arguments) and more generally, ''n''-ary operations (''n'' arguments). |