The above is the best explanation I've seen yet, though it may be a little complex. Basically, you can take nothing away from something an infinite amount of times, so x/0 is undefined.Originally posted by: Agent004
It's indeed undefined, due to the way division is defined.
we say a divides b if there exists a number c so that b = ac. ie, 3 divides 6 because 6 = 2*3. In other words, we define division by multiplcation(which makes sense, since there are two ops, addition and muliplication), b is a multiple of a, a is a factor of b.
Now if 0/0 exists, then for 0 divides 0, there should be a number x such that 0 = 0*x. However, 0*x = 0 for any values of x . Hence there isn't a particular solution or value you can say for 0/0
Hence 0/0 is not defined.
Originally posted by: dejitaru
Also, why, after all these years, can computers still not zero divide?
Originally posted by: Jeff7
Originally posted by: dejitaru
Also, why, after all these years, can computers still not zero divide?
I wrote simple programs that could at least handle it.
Just have a few lines telling it that if the divisor is 0, then kick out of the loop, or just try a different number, something like that.
Originally posted by: dejitaru
What is the value of 0/0?
I've heard that it's zero, yet it was not explained to me.
0/x == 0, x/x == 1, x/0 == infinity
Also, why, after all these years, can computers still not zero divide?
x/x == 1