absorptive laws

absorptive laws

[əb′sȯrp·tiv ‚lȯz] (mathematics) Either of two laws satisfied by the operations, usually denoted ∪ and ∩, on a Boolean algebra, namely a ∪ (a ∩ b) = a and a ∩ (a ∪ b) = a, where a and b are any two elements of the algebra; if the elements of the algebra are sets, then ∪ and ∩ represent union and intersection of sets.