Why can't we divide by 0?

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ZealotTheAloof

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#1 ZealotTheAloof
Member since 2006 • 358 Posts
I don't get it. We can multiply by zero, add zero, substract zero, make a number to the power of zero, square root zero, find a sin/cos/tan of zero but we can't devide by zero. Why?
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quiglythegreat

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#2 quiglythegreat
Member since 2006 • 16886 Posts
Because that means that the quantity being divided doesn't exist if it can't be broken up at all.
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FragStains

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#3 FragStains
Member since 2003 • 20668 Posts
Because someone always has to be different. In this case, division.
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mmogoon

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#4 mmogoon
Member since 2006 • 7311 Posts
We can. It gives infinity
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da_carnivore

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#5 da_carnivore
Member since 2004 • 212 Posts
If you think of dividing as fractions(which it is) then lets say you have 1/0 you have one of something that doesn't exist which is impossible
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ZealotTheAloof

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#6 ZealotTheAloof
Member since 2006 • 358 Posts

We can. It gives infinitymmogoon

So if, say, 5/0=infinity. Then infinity*0=5?

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Greatgone12

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#7 Greatgone12
Member since 2005 • 25469 Posts
0 can't go into anything. It just can't be done.
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andyxm

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#8 andyxm
Member since 2006 • 6194 Posts
there is an exception to every rule. there is no magic behind the pretty purple chair. remember that, you might need it someday.
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FragStains

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#9 FragStains
Member since 2003 • 20668 Posts
We can. It gives infinitymmogoon
No...the answer would undefined.
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inyourface_12

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#10 inyourface_12
Member since 2006 • 14757 Posts
let me ask you this.  if you had a piece of paper and i told you to cut it into zero parts, is that possible?
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Conanfan1

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#11 Conanfan1
Member since 2005 • 8014 Posts
Let's assume that A divided by B is equal to C. That would mean that C times B would equal A. Now if B were 0, and if A were any non-zero number, it would be impossible to multiply C by 0 and get A. I'm not too great at explaining math, but that's pretty much it.
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SaintLeonidas

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#12 SaintLeonidas
Member since 2006 • 26735 Posts
if i take a pizza and divide it by 0, then that means i never actually divided it. Its still a whole pizza. If i divide a pizza by 8, then theres 8 slices, so i divided it 8 times.
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85070537783

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#13 85070537783
Member since 2005 • 1219 Posts
Link
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Funkyhamster

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#14 Funkyhamster
Member since 2005 • 17366 Posts
Because it's not ballin', man.
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ColonelWilks

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#15 ColonelWilks
Member since 2005 • 3149 Posts
Say you have the number x.  If  x/0 = y, then it follows that y * 0 = x.  As everyone knows, 0 times anything is obviously 0, ergo, there is no solution.
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ZealotTheAloof

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#16 ZealotTheAloof
Member since 2006 • 358 Posts

let me ask you this.  if you had a piece of paper and i told you to cut it into zero parts, is that possible?inyourface_12

Practically yes, I could burn it

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GameFreak315

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#17 GameFreak315
Member since 2003 • 28485 Posts
Try it, see what happens.  *Plugs ears.*
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ProudLarry

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#18 ProudLarry
Member since 2004 • 13511 Posts
Link85070537783
Yeah, this explains it pretty well. Once you take Calculus, and study limits, it will make even more sense.
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SaintLeonidas

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#19 SaintLeonidas
Member since 2006 • 26735 Posts

[QUOTE="inyourface_12"]let me ask you this.  if you had a piece of paper and i told you to cut it into zero parts, is that possible?ZealotTheAloof

Practically yes, I could burn it

burn and cut are to different things, if you do anything other than cut it your not following his directions.

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ChipmunkDeluxe

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#20 ChipmunkDeluxe
Member since 2006 • 3213 Posts
because zero is like a giant circle so youd just end up where you started...there is no point, so they got rid of it..
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inyourface_12

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#21 inyourface_12
Member since 2006 • 14757 Posts
[QUOTE="ZealotTheAloof"]

[QUOTE="inyourface_12"]let me ask you this.  if you had a piece of paper and i told you to cut it into zero parts, is that possible?SaintLeonidas

Practically yes, I could burn it

burn and cut are to different things, if you do anything other than cut it your not following his directions.

lol.  burning would not work either.  it would divide into a million ashes.  no matter is ever destroyed or lost

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bastards12345

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#23 bastards12345
Member since 2005 • 7194 Posts
You can. The answer is Chuck Norris.
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85070537783

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#24 85070537783
Member since 2005 • 1219 Posts
[QUOTE="85070537783"]LinkProudLarry
Yeah, this explains it pretty well. Once you take Calculus, and study limits, it will make even more sense.

Apparently the only one who followed the link
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XxXFaTTxMaTTXxX

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#25 XxXFaTTxMaTTXxX
Member since 2005 • 1483 Posts
It gives an infinite amount of solutions.
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Funkyhamster

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#26 Funkyhamster
Member since 2005 • 17366 Posts
[QUOTE="ProudLarry"][QUOTE="85070537783"]Link85070537783
Yeah, this explains it pretty well. Once you take Calculus, and study limits, it will make even more sense.

Apparently the only one who followed the link

I followed it... it actually made sense to me. And I'm tired as hell too; if it makes sense to me right now, it makes sense to anyone.
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steppinrazor88

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#27 steppinrazor88
Member since 2006 • 14441 Posts
why??? because God said so!!! DUH!!!
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ZealotTheAloof

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#28 ZealotTheAloof
Member since 2006 • 358 Posts
[QUOTE="SaintLeonidas"][QUOTE="ZealotTheAloof"]

[QUOTE="inyourface_12"]let me ask you this.  if you had a piece of paper and i told you to cut it into zero parts, is that possible?inyourface_12

Practically yes, I could burn it

burn and cut are to different things, if you do anything other than cut it your not following his directions.

lol.  burning would not work either.  it would divide into a million ashes.  no matter is ever destroyed or lost

But that would devide THE PAPER by 0, not the ashes

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inyourface_12

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#29 inyourface_12
Member since 2006 • 14757 Posts

[QUOTE="85070537783"][QUOTE="ProudLarry"][QUOTE="85070537783"]LinkFunkyhamster
Yeah, this explains it pretty well. Once you take Calculus, and study limits, it will make even more sense.

Apparently the only one who followed the link

I followed it... it actually made sense to me. And I'm tired as hell too; if it makes sense to me right now, it makes sense to anyone.

im in algebra one right now.  so you cant.  lol

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yoshi-lnex

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#30 yoshi-lnex
Member since 2007 • 5442 Posts

We actually went over this earlier in the semester in my math class on proofs....

well we can show any number that is divisible by another as such a = mn

in the case of 2/34

34 = (2)(17)  get it? By fundamental law of mathematics a must always equal a non 0 integer.

so m/0 m = any integer

0 = m(0) this is false, thus we cannot divide by 0

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Redgarl

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#31 Redgarl
Member since 2002 • 13252 Posts
If you divide by a really small number like 0,00000001, you are gonna get a really big number.

So, division by 0 doesn't hold any value with any number. The only thing we can say about it is that it tend toward infinity.
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Nisstyre_56

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#32 Nisstyre_56
Member since 2006 • 2849 Posts
Because you can't divide something into 0 parts
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yodariquo

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#33 yodariquo
Member since 2005 • 6631 Posts
if x / y = z, then x = y * z. let x = 1, y = 0 1 / 0 = z 1 = 0z 1 = 0 No matter what you multiply zero by, it's always zero. Therefore, you cannot divide by zero. Oh, and division by zero doesn't equal infinity, because zero multiplied infinitely is still zero, and not the numerator.
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Redgarl

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#34 Redgarl
Member since 2002 • 13252 Posts
[QUOTE="yodariquo"]if x / y = z, then x = y * z. let x = 1, y = 0 1 / 0 = z 1 = 0z 1 = 0 No matter what you multiply zero by, it's always zero. Therefore, you cannot divide by zero. Oh, and division by zero doesn't equal infinity, because zero multiplied infinitely is still zero, and not the numerator.



1 / 0,000001 = 1X10^6

so

1 / 0,000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001 ==> infinity
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NooBAFIED

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#35 NooBAFIED
Member since 2006 • 4136 Posts
cut it in half there u go u divided it see ( ) put together is 0
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#36 lugiemojeed
Member since 2004 • 8785 Posts
we cant...OMG
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yoshi-lnex

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#37 yoshi-lnex
Member since 2007 • 5442 Posts

. let x = 1, y = 0 1 / 0 = z 1 = 0z 1 = 0 yodariquo

you can't manipulate a function that has been divided by 0 any further, it's already false....

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Media_geek20

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#38 Media_geek20
Member since 2006 • 6491 Posts
Because the value that breaks down the original number is missing.
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Redgarl

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#39 Redgarl
Member since 2002 • 13252 Posts

[QUOTE="yodariquo"]. let x = 1, y = 0 1 / 0 = z 1 = 0z 1 = 0 yoshi-lnex

you can't manipulate a function that has been divided by 0 any further, it's already false....



You can prove that 1 + 1 = 0 by doing something similar.
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yoshi-lnex

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#40 yoshi-lnex
Member since 2007 • 5442 Posts
[QUOTE="yoshi-lnex"]

[QUOTE="yodariquo"]. let x = 1, y = 0 1 / 0 = z 1 = 0z 1 = 0 Redgarl

you can't manipulate a function that has been divided by 0 any further, it's already false....



You can prove that 1 + 1 = 0 by doing something similar.

you can't, it would defy basic mathematical law. Once you have found a statement to be false, anything beyond that point cannot be considered a valid conclusion.
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DaveGamer_05

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#41 DaveGamer_05
Member since 2005 • 18823 Posts
Because you can't divide by nothing.
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inyourface_12

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#42 inyourface_12
Member since 2006 • 14757 Posts
[QUOTE="inyourface_12"][QUOTE="SaintLeonidas"][QUOTE="ZealotTheAloof"]

[QUOTE="inyourface_12"]let me ask you this.  if you had a piece of paper and i told you to cut it into zero parts, is that possible?ZealotTheAloof

Practically yes, I could burn it

burn and cut are to different things, if you do anything other than cut it your not following his directions.

lol.  burning would not work either.  it would divide into a million ashes.  no matter is ever destroyed or lost

But that would devide THE PAPER by 0, not the ashes

the ashes are the paper are they not?  just in another state

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thusaha

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#43 thusaha
Member since 2007 • 14495 Posts
Link85070537783
Nice explanation.
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Redgarl

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#44 Redgarl
Member since 2002 • 13252 Posts
Because you can't divide by nothing.DaveGamer_05


That's one way to see it, but in engineering, we are trying to never enter in resonnance... let's put it simply, trying to never divide by zero :P
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TrueReligion_

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#45 TrueReligion_
Member since 2006 • 11037 Posts
We can. It gives infinitymmogoon
No, dude. The term is "undefined". Where did you get infinity from? :?
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marty_81

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#46 marty_81
Member since 2003 • 2823 Posts
The limit of 1/x when x goes to 0 is infinity just like limit of 1/x when x goes to infinity is 0.
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nickisthemost

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#47 nickisthemost
Member since 2005 • 921 Posts
cause stone cold steve austin said so.
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yoshi-lnex

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#48 yoshi-lnex
Member since 2007 • 5442 Posts
[QUOTE="mmogoon"]We can. It gives infinityTrueReligion_
No, dude. The term is "undefined". Where did you get infinity from? :?

if you take the limits, it does give you +/- infinity...
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yodariquo

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#49 yodariquo
Member since 2005 • 6631 Posts
[QUOTE="Redgarl"][QUOTE="yodariquo"]if x / y = z, then x = y * z. let x = 1, y = 0 1 / 0 = z 1 = 0z 1 = 0 No matter what you multiply zero by, it's always zero. Therefore, you cannot divide by zero. Oh, and division by zero doesn't equal infinity, because zero multiplied infinitely is still zero, and not the numerator.



1 / 0,000001 = 1X10^6

so

1 / 0,000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001 ==> infinity

For division by zero to equal infinity, infinity multiplied by zero must equal infinity. It only approaches infinity, it will never reach it.
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194197844077667059316682358889

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#50 194197844077667059316682358889
Member since 2003 • 49173 Posts
We can. It gives infinitymmogoon
No, the operation is undefined. Edit: More info