Math people: Why is n/0 undefined?

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A

AFB

Lifer
Jan 10, 2004
10,718
3
0
If you were to use the pile analogy for, (divide into n piles) whne you put something in to 0 piles there is nothing there.
 
Whitecloak

Whitecloak

Diamond Member
May 4, 2001
6,074
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0
because the vogons destroyed the earth before it could finish computing the result.
 
Confused

Confused

Elite Member
Nov 13, 2000
14,166
0
0
Originally posted by: whitecloak
because the vogons destroyed the earth before it could finish computing the result.
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If only it had been 5 minutes later...!
 
ohtwell

ohtwell

Lifer
Jan 6, 2002
14,516
9
81
Originally posted by: amdfanboy
Originally posted by: Supercharged
because YOU CAN'T DIVIDE BY ZERO.
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No sh!t. Why?
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Because, you can't multiply anything to zero to give you another number, so how can you divide by it.


: ) Amanda
 
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Dark4ng3l

Diamond Member
Sep 17, 2000
5,061
1
0
Okay because of the way algebra works. See if you have x=3/0 it has to equal 0x=3 with is impossible.
 
Cerb

Cerb

Elite Member
Aug 26, 2000
17,484
33
86
As you get close to n/0, the result is increasingly close to an impossibly high number. n/0 will give you the opposite of 0. The opposite of nothing (and that is technically not infinity). It is beyind our minds and our math to get it, should it even be possible at all.
 
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Peetoeng

Golden Member
Dec 21, 2000
1,866
0
0
Originally posted by: amdfanboy
If you were to use the pile analogy for, (divide into n piles) whne you put something in to 0 piles there is nothing there.
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That is wrong. If n is not equal to 0, then n/0 = infinity, the pile anology would give you infinite number of piles, not 0 piles. See it this way, go to the beach with a cup. How many cups of sea water can you scoop before the sea dries up?

n/0 can be NaN (not a number), if n=0. The pile anology would give you NaP (not a pile) :laugh:
 
XZeroII

XZeroII

Lifer
Jun 30, 2001
12,572
0
0
Why don't we just skip ahead 1000 posts and agree that you can't divide by zero?
 
N

ndee

Lifer
Jul 18, 2000
12,680
1
0
Originally posted by: ohtwell
Originally posted by: ndee
Originally posted by: ohtwell
Originally posted by: Supercharged
because YOU CAN'T DIVIDE BY ZERO.
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Yep!


: ) Amanda
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What do YOU know? :p
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I know more than you, you little pissant!

:p


: ) Amanda
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And that comes from the self proclaimed"Mistress of Sunshine"? I'm shocked! :p

Mister I-scan-500-magazines: I don't think she needs someone to cover her back ;)
 
Cerb

Cerb

Elite Member
Aug 26, 2000
17,484
33
86
Originally posted by: XZeroII
Why don't we just skip ahead 1000 posts and agree that you can't divide by zero?
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Let's just tell people not to think...:roll:
 
pmoa

pmoa

Platinum Member
Dec 24, 2001
2,623
3
81
Originally posted by: Cerb
As you get close to n/0, the result is increasingly close to an impossibly high number. n/0 will give you the opposite of 0. The opposite of nothing (and that is technically not infinity). It is beyind our minds and our math to get it, should it even be possible at all.
Click to expand...

say word! :beer:
 
mugs

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
46
91
Originally posted by: amdfanboy
If you were to use the pile analogy for, (divide into n piles) whne you put something in to 0 piles there is nothing there.
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Use your pile analogy but flip it around - if you divide n into piles of 0 items, how many piles do you have? You could have infinite piles and not exhaust n. That and as someone mentioned, division is the opposite of multiplication, and you can't multiply anything by 0 and get n, unless n is 0. Wait until you get to calculus.
 
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puffff

Platinum Member
Jun 25, 2004
2,374
0
0
Originally posted by: ohtwell
Originally posted by: amdfanboy
Originally posted by: Supercharged
because YOU CAN'T DIVIDE BY ZERO.
Click to expand...

No sh!t. Why?
Click to expand...
Because, you can't multiply anything to zero to give you another number, so how can you divide by it.


: ) Amanda
Click to expand...

what about 0/0? i think that should = 0, since you can multiply by 0 to get 0
 
T

Tiamat

Lifer
Nov 25, 2003
14,068
5
71
If you divide n by 10 you get a result. Divide by 1 you get a larger result.... divide by .1 you get an even larger result... So n/0 = infinity. Since n/really really really small number approaches infinity.
 
T

Tiamat

Lifer
Nov 25, 2003
14,068
5
71
Originally posted by: puffff
Originally posted by: ohtwell
Originally posted by: amdfanboy
Originally posted by: Supercharged
because YOU CAN'T DIVIDE BY ZERO.
Click to expand...

No sh!t. Why?
Click to expand...
Because, you can't multiply anything to zero to give you another number, so how can you divide by it.


: ) Amanda
Click to expand...

what about 0/0? i think that should = 0, since you can multiply by 0 to get 0
Click to expand...

.000000000000000000001 divided by itself is equal to 1.
 
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cquark

Golden Member
Apr 4, 2004
1,741
0
0
Originally posted by: puffff
what about 0/0? i think that should = 0, since you can multiply by 0 to get 0
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It could be anything:

Let x = 0/0.

Multiply both sides by zero to get: 0 * x = 0

What number is x? Well, any number satisfies the above equation.

Therefore you could say that x = 0 as you do above, or you could equally correctly say x = 1 or x = 2 ...

Now you have a problem. If x is a number, it can't be 0 and 1 and 2 at the same time. Therefore 0/0 isn't a number and needs to be undefined.
 
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cquark

Golden Member
Apr 4, 2004
1,741
0
0
Originally posted by: Tiamat
Originally posted by: puffff

what about 0/0? i think that should = 0, since you can multiply by 0 to get 0
Click to expand...

.000000000000000000001 divided by itself is equal to 1.
Click to expand...

That sounds like you want to get into limits.

For example, lim x->0 of x/x = 1 as both quantities approach the limit at equal rates.

However, lim x->0 of x^2/x = lim x->0 of x = 0,

while lim x->0 of x/x^2 = lim x->0 of 1/x diverges, approaching infinity.
 
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