AvgStudent
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- Jan 1, 2022
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What exactly does it mean when we say "undefined" when dividing by 0?
My attempt to answer the question is as follows:
I started with the definition of division which repeated subtraction. For example, 15/3= 5 because 15-3-3-3-3-3=0. So what is 1/0?
By the division definition, 1/0 => 1-0-0-0-....... so infinity?
The second attempt was to define division as a ratio of two numbers. r=a/b=> a=r*b. So if b=0, then a=r*0. However, r*0=0, then r can be any number, i.e. infinity?
So far, I've come up with the conclusion that it should be infinity, so why do we say "undefined"? Is there a difference?
My attempt to answer the question is as follows:
I started with the definition of division which repeated subtraction. For example, 15/3= 5 because 15-3-3-3-3-3=0. So what is 1/0?
By the division definition, 1/0 => 1-0-0-0-....... so infinity?
The second attempt was to define division as a ratio of two numbers. r=a/b=> a=r*b. So if b=0, then a=r*0. However, r*0=0, then r can be any number, i.e. infinity?
So far, I've come up with the conclusion that it should be infinity, so why do we say "undefined"? Is there a difference?