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is 0 divided by 0 wrong?

 Dec 12, 2014

Best Answer 

 #2
avatar+23254 
+5

0/0 is an "indeterminate" expression.

The reason that 6/2 is 3 is because 2 x 3 = 6. (In other words, it "checks.")

When you divide 0/0, you might think that the answer is 0, because it checks:  0 x 0 = 0.

However, you might think that the answer is 6, because 6 also checks:  0 x 6 = 0.

Try -4:  0/0 = -4  --->  0 x -4 = 0, It also works!

In fact, every number works! That's why it's called "indeterminate"; there is no specific answer.

When you take calculus, you find that the problem that led to that "solution" determines the value of 0/0.

Sometimes, it is a number, like 6, or -4, or even 0.

Sometimes, it isn't a number, for instance, ∞.

 Dec 12, 2014
 #1
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0/0 in my opinion should be 0 in the first place. if you have 0 pies and 0 people to share the pies with, then each person get 0 pies. so i dont think that 0/0 is wrong

 Dec 12, 2014
 #2
avatar+23254 
+5
Best Answer

0/0 is an "indeterminate" expression.

The reason that 6/2 is 3 is because 2 x 3 = 6. (In other words, it "checks.")

When you divide 0/0, you might think that the answer is 0, because it checks:  0 x 0 = 0.

However, you might think that the answer is 6, because 6 also checks:  0 x 6 = 0.

Try -4:  0/0 = -4  --->  0 x -4 = 0, It also works!

In fact, every number works! That's why it's called "indeterminate"; there is no specific answer.

When you take calculus, you find that the problem that led to that "solution" determines the value of 0/0.

Sometimes, it is a number, like 6, or -4, or even 0.

Sometimes, it isn't a number, for instance, ∞.

geno3141 Dec 12, 2014

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