technology Zero divided by zero

[Twilight Dirac 721]

I don't get the whole 0 divded by 0 thing...

 

Isn't the answer just 0?

 

No.  In the case of 0/0, every scalar number is a solution.  Basically in division you are searching for a number that when multiplied by the denominator will give you back the numerator.  For example:

 

6/3 = 2 because 3*2 = 6

 

But in the case of 0/0, 0*anything = 0 so not only is 0 a solution, but so is 1, 10, 10,000, etc. That is why the answer is usually given as undefined.  

I don't get the whole 0 divded by 0 thing...

 

Isn't the answer just 0?

 

No.  In the case of 0/0, every scalar number is a solution.  Basically in division you are searching for a number that when multiplied by the denominator will give you back the numerator.  For example:

 

6/3 = 2 because 3*2 = 6

 

But in the case of 0/0, 0*anything = 0 so not only is 0 a solution, but so is 1, 10, 10,000, etc. That is why the answer is usually given as undefined.