In mathematics, a free abelian group or free Z-module is an abelian group with a basis, or, equivalently, a free module over the integers.Being an abelian group means that it is a set with an addition operation that is associative, commutative, and invertible. A basis, also called an integral basis, is a subset such that every element of the group can be uniquely expressed as a linear combination of basis elements with integer coefficients. For instance, the integers with addition form a free abelian group with basis {1}. Free abelian groups have properties which make them similar to vector spaces. They have applications in algebraic topology, where they are used to define chain groups, and in algebraic geometry, where they are used to define divisors. Integer lattices also form examples o