A 

group, in mathematics, is a set together with an operation that combines any

two of its elements to form a third element, in such a way that the operation is 
associative, an identity element exists, and every element has an inverse.
These three conditions, called group axioms, are familiar from number systems.
The ubiquity of groups in numerous areas—both within and outside
mathematics—makes them a central organizational tool in contemporary
mathematics. The concept of a group arose from the study of 
polynomial equations, starting with