What's new

Thread for Tirediron

table1349

Been spending a lot of time on here!
Joined
Sep 9, 2006
Messages
0
Reaction score
2,772
You asked so here you go...............

Division by Zero

Division by zero is the operation of taking the quotient of any number
Inline1.gif
and 0, i.e.,
Inline2.gif
. The uniqueness of division breaks down when dividing by zero, since the product
Inline3.gif
is the same for any
Inline4.gif
, so
Inline5.gif
cannot be recovered by inverting the process of multiplication. 0 is the only number with this property and, as a result, division by zero is undefined for real numbers and can produce a fatal condition called a "division by zero error" in computer programs.
To the persistent but misguided reader who insists on asking "What happens if I do divide by zero," Derbyshire (2004, p. 36) provides the slightly flippant but firm and concise response, "You can't. It's against the rules." Even in fields other than the real numbers, division by zero is never allowed (Derbyshire 2004, p. 266).

There are, however, contexts in which division by zero can be considered as defined. For example, division by zero
Inline6.gif
for
Inline7.gif
in the extended complex plane C-* is defined to be a quantity known as complex infinity. This definition expresses the fact that, for
Inline8.gif
,
Inline9.gif
0)z/w=infty" border="0" height="14" width="94"> (i.e., complex infinity). However, even though the formal statement
Inline10.gif
is permitted in C-*, note that this does not mean that
Inline11.gif
. Zero does not have a multiplicative inverse under any circumstances.

Although division by zero is not defined for reals, limits involving division by a real quantity
Inline12.gif
which approaches zero may in fact be well-defined. For example,
[TABLE="align: center"]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]
NumberedEquation1.gif
0)(sinx)/x=1. " border="0" height="35" width="80">[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Of course, such limits may also approach infinity,
[TABLE="align: center"]
[TR]
[TD="align: left"]
NumberedEquation2.gif
0^+)1/x=infty. " border="0" height="37" width="72">[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

SEE ALSO: C-*, Complex Infinity, Complex Number, Division, Extended Complex Plane, Fallacy, Field, Limit Real Number, Reciprocal, Ring, Zero
REFERENCES: Derbyshire, J. Prime Obsession: Bernhard Riemann and the Greatest Unsolved Problem in Mathematics. New York: Penguin, 2004.

Referenced on Wolfram|Alpha: Division by Zero
CITE THIS AS: Weisstein, Eric W. "Division by Zero." From MathWorld--A Wolfram Web Resource. Division by Zero -- from Wolfram MathWorld


Next time, be careful what you wish for. :lmao:


For the lost souls reading this thread: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...ly-stupid-physics-question-5.html#post2768469
 
O.O

Can -- I request that we go back to the start and do this division stuff with cake slices? Only that's about as far as I understand division ;)
 
Make it a red velvet cake and ill join you overread. I was lost at x. Never was good at math. Lol
 
I'd love to use that (the OP) as my new sig file!!!!
 

Create an account or login to comment

You must be a member in order to leave a comment

Create account

Create an account on our community. It's easy!

Log in

Already have an account? Log in here.

Back
Top Bottom