Community Messageboard: Glad to hear it; I don't often get accused of making sense these days. ;) by Joel

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Glad to hear it; I don't often get accused of making sense these days.

Joel Send a noteboard - 09/05/2011 09:50:33 PM

If we use calculus to replace 0 with a variable x that approaches 0 we can put it two different places, which kinda makes things worse. Lim x/x as x?0 is 1; until/unless x actually REACHES 0 it's always 1. Lim 0/x as x?0 is 0; again, until/unless x reaches 0 it always will be. Lim x/0 as x?0 is our old friend Mr. Undefined; until/unless x reaches 0 it can't be anything else and, as is hopefully becoming clear, things don't really improve then. If you want to get fancy and use the lim 1/x as x?? for 0 we get lim (1/x)/ (1/x) as x??, or 0/0=lim x/x as x??=1.

This is the way I first saw it explainer, and I think it makes the most sense to me.

It's an intriguing question, but perhaps more on a metaphysical than mathematic level (to the extent there's a difference). If we could define 0/0 maybe it would resolve the debate between me and Dan over whether the First Cause was Unity or Void.

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Math question Darth_Katie - 28/04/2011 09:40:34 AM 604 Views

Both are undefined. Camilla - 28/04/2011 10:04:55 AM 446 Views

Because 0 divided by anything is 0. So the answer is both 1 and 0. Therefore, undefined. *NM* Tim - 28/04/2011 10:08:44 AM 178 Views

This isn't really true. 0/x=0 when x!=0. Ghavrel - 28/04/2011 10:22:04 AM 425 Views

Yeah, I levelled down a bit on purpose. *NM* Tim - 28/04/2011 10:36:47 AM 171 Views

Short answer: you can't divide by zero or infinity. Longer answer: you can if you use Calculus. Ghavrel - 28/04/2011 10:28:18 AM 417 Views

The limit of 0/x would be zero random thoughts - 28/04/2011 01:55:03 PM 411 Views

I'm going to go with you on this one.

*NM* Ghavrel - 28/04/2011 07:37:44 PM 174 Views

Oh, limits. Darth_Katie - 28/04/2011 08:05:11 PM 448 Views

Re: Math question Isaac - 28/04/2011 02:21:04 PM 451 Views

Yes, late night math is not a good idea. Darth_Katie - 28/04/2011 08:14:48 PM 499 Views

For all the reasons stated. Joel - 28/04/2011 06:15:27 PM 382 Views

Re: For all the reasons stated. Hobo - 09/05/2011 05:56:59 PM 430 Views

Glad to hear it; I don't often get accused of making sense these days.

Joel - 09/05/2011 09:50:33 PM 357 Views

Divide By Cucumber Error. Please reinstall universe and reboot. *NM* Tigr - 28/04/2011 08:11:22 PM 205 Views

But I threw away the disk! Darth_Katie - 28/04/2011 08:15:25 PM 379 Views

Thanks, Hex. *NM* Ghavrel - 28/04/2011 08:44:35 PM 153 Views

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<quote id="206236">
<quote id="206152"><quote id="204132">If we use calculus to replace 0 with a variable x that approaches 0 we can put it two different places, which kinda makes things worse. Lim x/x as x?0 is 1; until/unless x actually REACHES 0 it's always 1. Lim 0/x as x?0 is 0; again, until/unless x reaches 0 it always will be. Lim x/0 as x?0 is our old friend Mr. Undefined; until/unless x reaches 0 it can't be anything else and, as is hopefully becoming clear, things don't really improve then. If you want to get fancy and use the lim 1/x as x?? for 0 we get lim (1/x)/ (1/x) as x??, or 0/0=lim x/x as x??=1.</quote>
This is the way I first saw it explainer, and I think it makes the most sense to me.</quote>
It's an intriguing question, but perhaps more on a metaphysical than mathematic level (to the extent there's a difference). If we could define 0/0 maybe it would resolve the debate between me and Dan over whether the First Cause was Unity or Void. 
</quote>

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