Symbols:Abstract Algebra/Repeated Addition

Repeated Addition

 * $\cdot$

Often used to denote the power of the additive binary operation in a general ring $\struct {R, +, \circ}$.

In this context, $n \cdot a$ means $\underbrace {a + a + \ldots + a}_{n \text{ times}} $.

See Powers of Ring Elements‎ for an example of how this can be used.

Also often used for the binary operation in a general group which is not necessarily abelian.

Also see
See Vector Algebra, Arithmetic and Algebra and Logical Operators: Deprecated Symbols for alternative definitions of this symbol.