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Why does dividing a number by zero not result in a value of zero?

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Original post by hamza772000
:tongue:


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Go onto You Tube. Search for ' Numberphile - Problems with Zero '. Enjoy! :awesome:

Numberphile and Sixty Symbols are great channels for maths and science geeks if you haven't watched any of them. Produced by the same guy, Brady, with lecturers from Nottingham Uni. But really down to earth and pitched at the level of the general public. And often quite unintentionally funny.
Reply 62
Avatar for Zacken
Zacken
22
Original post by Mistletoe
Why can't we do what they do with complex numbers and call it a 'second zero' or 'zero negative' or another appropriate name? The demonstration below describes how there is a kind of zero or absence derived from the calculation.


If division is the equal distribution of finite objects to a finite group then the distribution is zero in the case that there is no group. Why not just make an exception to the rules of arithmetic?


You can if you want to, it's just not found to be useful to anyone/anything just yet.

http://math.stackexchange.com/questions/125186/why-not-to-extend-the-set-of-natural-numbers-to-make-it-closed-under-division-by
Reply 63
Avatar for Andy98
Andy98
20
For X/y=z, as y tends towards 0, z tends towards infinity. However when y is 0, it's like saying you'll share the rest of your cookies amongst your friends, then realising you have none. All you've achieved is making yourself sad that you've got no friends, and cookie monster sad that you've got no cookies. You can't even say how much they could've had because there isn't anyone there. Therefore x/0 is undefined

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Original post by Andy98
For X/y=z, as y tends towards 0, z tends towards infinity. However when y is 0, it's like saying you'll share the rest of your cookies amongst your friends, then realising you have none. All you've achieved is making yourself sad that you've got no friends, and cookie monster sad that you've got no cookies. You can't even say how much they could've had because there isn't anyone there. Therefore x/0 is undefined

Posted from TSR Mobile
But won't x be the amount of cookies?
Original post by hamza772000
Is it because zero has no value? or because it isn't divisible? or because anything multiplied by it equals zero?(I know that doesn't sound like the right answer) or because it is not consistent with division by other numbers?

Thanks in advance :h:


Because zero means that nothing exists. And if there is nothing which exists, there is nothing what can be divided. Because this kind of number is not defined, but nothing.*

Imagine: There is a cake which has to be divided by zero people. Would you even bake a cake, if there is not a person who want it?*
Original post by Kallisto
Because zero means that nothing exists. And if there is nothing which exists, there is nothing what can be divided. Because this kind of number is not defined, but nothing.*

Imagine: There is a cake which has to be divided by zero people. Would you even bake a cake, if there is not a person who want it?*
ah i see makes sense now thanks :h:
Original post by hamza772000
ah i see makes sense now thanks :h:


You are welcome. Sometimes it is easier to think about it practically instead of in numbers. People almost got a different view. *
Original post by Kallisto
You are welcome. Sometimes it is easier to think about it practically instead of in numbers. People almost got a different view. *
Yeah, you're right :smile:

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