Poll: Can YOU divide by zero?

[VuvuZelaMan]

Not quite. But an evaluation of limits allows for an approximation. In this case, evaluating the limit as x goes to zero of 1/x yields plus or minus infinity.

Yeah, plus or minus infinity as an approximation. The two farthest values both approximate infinity.

...

So no, I can't divide by zero. But I understand just WHY it is so mind-melding.

EDIT:

1/0=infinity.

It's pretty simple. Take Calculus and you'll get it.

You forget one thing: The limit of 1/X as X goes to zero is only infinity as X goes down to zero. Going up, it's negative infinity.

 

[Hairetos]

yes:

0/0=?

(0)(0/0)=?(0)
0=0
True

Therefore, dividing by zero=true.

 

[emeraldrafael]

Of course. The Calculator just cant handle my awesomeness and gives me a constant error. I need to talk to Chuck Norris about getting a new Calculator.

 

[geldonyetich]

I should start a thread, "the 50 post subjects that 99.5% of the threads around here are about." Division by zero would be one of them.

I divide by zero all the time when I'm programming. It's like:

if (variable == 0)
// Special case behavior
else
// Normal math involving division by the variable.

The thing is that, when you've got zero of a unit, it usually indicates you need to back out of the math and realize what that means in logical terms and then behave appropriately. If you find yourself dividing by zero, chances are you screwed up somewhere and forgot the reality behind the units being represented by the math.

 

[ninjajoeman]

Heres a better question, how about you damn boring ass math bastards stop making sense of something that would have no importance of wether 1 divided my zero was 1, zero or bacon it wouldnt change life at all.

Its like asking the meaning of life or is there a god, even if you find out the answer it sure as hell aint gunna change anything

that is what people thought about negative numbers.

 

[ninjajoeman]

Not quite. But an evaluation of limits allows for an approximation. In this case, evaluating the limit as x goes to zero of 1/x yields plus or minus infinity.

Yeah, plus or minus infinity as an approximation. The two farthest values both approximate infinity.

...

So no, I can't divide by zero. But I understand just WHY it is so mind-melding.

EDIT:

1/0=infinity.

It's pretty simple. Take Calculus and you'll get it.

You forget one thing: The limit of 1/X as X goes to zero is only infinity as X goes down to zero. Going up, it's negative infinity.

doesn't it go down because it's an inverse? so it's positive infinity?

 

[Dana22]

There is no real number in which you can multiple with 0 and get 1. Since 0 has no reciprocal you cannot divide by it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Division_by_zero

 

[Evil the White]

Through all of my education, I've always been told that I can't divide by zero, but my question is: can YOU?

As a maths student, this is the official answer:

1 divided by 0 = infinity.
Infinity times 0 = 1

Actually, this isn't the answer. Infinity is not a number, so you can't meaningfully use it except when dealing with limits and such. The closest math to what you've posted is:

x / 0 is undefined.
x * 0 = 0.
(in both cases, x is any real number)

That is taken as a given, with the conclusion that nothing divided by everything equals something. It's not used in normal mathematics, and generally only used when dealing with complex numbers (i.e. j, the square root of -1)

 

[WiwuX]

Just to be clear here: x/0 is NOT equal to infinity.

It is useful sometimes to say that it is (calculus, economics), but what you are using is really a number that is very close to 0, say 0.000000000000001.

Dividing by zero is undefined, there is no answer to it.

 

[Signa]

They way I was taught division was that if I had four cakes and shared them out between four people, everyone would have one cake.

If I have four cakes and share it with no one, I have four cakes.

Simple, really.

NUh-UH! You can't have your cake and eat it too! It has to sit there and mold and rot. NO ONE GETS CAKE WHEN YOU DIVIDE BY ZERO!!! *Evil laughter*

 

[z3rostr1fe]

They way I was taught division was that if I had four cakes and shared them out between four people, everyone would have one cake.

If I have four cakes and share it with no one, I have four cakes.

Simple, really.

Actually, by sharing it to no one and consuming the cake to yourself, you are actually dividing the cake by 1. The real "division by zero" analogy using the cake is that if no one really received any piece of cake. So practically it's useless to divide something by zero. You will only leave the cake rotting, assuming that it was true... *dies*

 

[Ghored]

There's no doubt in my mind that if he can survive bombs, then Keith can certainly divide by zero.

As for me, I can't. I'm just built with a human brain. Sos it's impossible for me.

 

[Omikron009]

No. It's not possible, and I refuse to even mention that stupid meme. Wait a minute...

 

[crudus]

There is no real number in which you can multiple with 0 and get 1. Since 0 has no reciprocal you cannot divide by it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Division_by_zero

Why did I get a link to this page?

 

[Estocavio]

Yes - 24 divided by 0 = Syntax Error. Easy

 

[Icarion (aka Stockholm)]

There is nothing I cannot overcome! But currently I'm kinda stuck in honors algebra 2 so no higher math for me until senior year or colledge

 

[Logic Sword]

They way I was taught division was that if I had four cakes and shared them out between four people, everyone would have one cake.

If I have four cakes and share it with no one, I have four cakes.

Simple, really.

Actually, by sharing it to no one and consuming the cake to yourself, you are actually dividing the cake by 1. The real "division by zero" analogy using the cake is that if no one really received any piece of cake. So practically it's useless to divide something by zero. You will only leave the cake rotting, assuming that it was true... *dies*

But you can't share something with yourself. If you keep everything to yourself, you're being selfish, not sharing.

 

[z3rostr1fe]

They way I was taught division was that if I had four cakes and shared them out between four people, everyone would have one cake.

If I have four cakes and share it with no one, I have four cakes.

Simple, really.

Actually, by sharing it to no one and consuming the cake to yourself, you are actually dividing the cake by 1. The real "division by zero" analogy using the cake is that if no one really received any piece of cake. So practically it's useless to divide something by zero. You will only leave the cake rotting, assuming that it was true... *dies*

But you can't share something with yourself. If you keep everything to yourself, you're being selfish, not sharing.

Wait, what are we talking about here? Is it sharing or division by zero? *head explodes*

 

[Logic Sword]

They way I was taught division was that if I had four cakes and shared them out between four people, everyone would have one cake.

If I have four cakes and share it with no one, I have four cakes.

Simple, really.

Actually, by sharing it to no one and consuming the cake to yourself, you are actually dividing the cake by 1. The real "division by zero" analogy using the cake is that if no one really received any piece of cake. So practically it's useless to divide something by zero. You will only leave the cake rotting, assuming that it was true... *dies*

But you can't share something with yourself. If you keep everything to yourself, you're being selfish, not sharing.

Wait, what are we talking about here? Is it sharing or division by zero? *head explodes*

Both

 

[Grigori361]

Anything divided by zero is infinity, all of infinity at once.

In other words, when you divide by zero, you get Chuck Norris.

So what happens if you divide Chuck Norris by zero?

Mudkips Happen.