Question about 0 (Zero) Questions about tsn, life, or anything else you would like Neo to answer. He's got the answers, but not necessarily the *right* one.

[Frankli]

OK. I've thought about this for a long time. It has to do with the number 0 and dividing by it, and since I haven't taken Calculas (where my question about 0 might be answered) I'll just state my findings so far:

When one places x/0 where "x" is any number into a calculator, the machine responds with "Error" or "Undefined." But there, in actuality, should be an answer to this equation.

0 can go into x an infinite number of times, but at the same time the equation can never be satisfied. One will never get a remainder, nor shall it divide out evenly. It just keeps going on for eternity. This blows my mind.

Another thing about zero is that what happens when one divides it by itself? For:
x/x=1 and
0/x=0
But what if you divide 0 by itself? Would 0/0 =
1
0
undefined
or would it equal all three at the same time???!!!

But there is one conclusion I've come to after contemplating all of this:
zero is a freak of nature.

Does anyone else have a better comprehension of zero?

[baka sushi]

Sorry, NEO...

...but, Frankli...believe it or not, you're not alone in your thinking.
But I think it all depends on what you think "zero" really is. To me, it's the opposite of infinity. Instead of ongoing, it never goes.
Zero is only a number when it's on a line, but not actualy a number. More like a place holder for nothing. Numerically, you can't do much with it because there's nothing (zero) to work with.
And what you said about it being able to go into "x" an infinite number of times....
..look at it this way.
You have a pie....now, I want 0/1 of it, or 0%. You wouldn't give me an infinte amount of nothing....I would just get nothing. You can't break (divide) something by nothing.
....regrdless, this is merely my thoughts on the matter...
..you're pretty cool...and coming from someone who figured out Trig knowing nothing other than what cos tan and sin was...anad had only that to begin with and no further instructions....that's quite a compliment...

[Neo]

Sorry Baka...but 0 is not the same thing as "nothing". It's a complex issue, and one I have yet to fully grasp...but to have 0 is not to say you have "nothing"...it's to say you have a zero amount of something.

when you divide 1/0 ... you're asking for 1 piece of 0. Zero is not nothing, but it is an empty value. For example you mentioned pie...I want 1/0 of a pie. That would be 1 piece of an empty pie pan.

If I asked for 1/2 of a pie, it would be for 1 piece of 2 in the pie pan.

But if I said I had nothing 1/nothing, then there wouldn't even be a pie pan.

It correlates with your mentioning the number line. 0 is a number there, holding the place of an empty amount. In the real world though, to say you have a 0 amount of something, you have an absence of that thing...in effect, nothing. (But it's 0 amount because there is the image of something you are referring to)...if you get what I am saying.

Go to subway and ask for a pie...they will say we have none (nothing)...Go to Tippin's (a pie restaurant) and ask for a pie, and (for the sake of example) they will say they are out...they have 0.

And Frankli, you mentioned that 0 can go into x an infinte number of times...that is written as 0/x ... to say x/0, x would have to go into 0 a set amount of times. But since 0 can not be divided any further, the calculator says "Error, I can't do that...I'm out of amounts to divide."

Make sense?

[baka sushi]

but not actualy a number. More like a place holder for nothing.

[ahem] That's what I said, you just put it better

[Frankli]

Then what about dividing zero by itself? Would it be 1, 0, or undefined?

[Neo]

The calculator gives an error. I think it is for this primative reason...

Theoretically, let's say you're asking for 1 of 0 pies...and you get an error because there are no pies. But if you had one pie, you could make the sale. So...
1 / 1 pies = sale
1 / 0 pies = no sale

So 0 / 0 pies = no sale because they are out...regardless of what you're asking for or how many you want.

[Drunkensailor]

0 = it is not (inexistence)

when

1 = it is so (existence)

also

0 = no

when

1= yes

but thats a different topic

where nothing applies itself to everything, as to say, "I have nothing (no thing, I posess not one thing"

0, or none, applies only to the direct object of a sentence, "Of apples, I have none (0)."

look at graphs...

when you have no slope the graph is vertical (completely) but then the slope is 0 it is horizontal (I hope I didn't get those backwards)

hmmm

I'm thinking beyond my intelegence now... I'm going to defrag my computer like I said.