Division of zero by itself

It's not a matter of convention, it's a logical impossibility. In summary, dividing by zero is not defined and zero is a number, but it is not part of the multiplicative group. This question is a common source of confusion and some people may make up their own theories about it, but mainstream math, as taught in basic school textbooks, does not consider it a valid operation. The thread discussing this topic is now closed.
  • #1
Mbuso
1
0
Why is the division of zero by itself not equal to one,since it is conventional that any number divided by itself is equal to one?,or maybe is zero not a number?
 
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  • #2
Dividing by zero is not defined. You can pretend it is defined and get nonsense results if you like. Zero is a number, yes. A lot of people are confused about this, you are not alone. Some people make up stuff about this problem. PF discusses mainstream Math, like you find in basic school textbooks, not personal theories.

We get this question frequently.

Thread is closed.
 
  • #3
Mbuso said:
Why is the division of zero by itself not equal to one?
Because zero isn't part of the multiplicative group. The question does not exist. It's as if we asked why we can't breath on the moon.
 

1. What is the result of dividing zero by itself?

The result of dividing zero by itself is undefined. This is because any number divided by zero is undefined in mathematics.

2. Why is division by zero not allowed?

Division by zero is not allowed because it leads to mathematical inconsistencies and contradictions. It also violates the fundamental rule of division, which states that any number divided by zero is undefined.

3. Can you give an example of division of zero by itself?

An example of division of zero by itself is 0 ÷ 0. This expression is undefined and cannot be simplified or solved.

4. Is there any situation where division of zero by itself is allowed?

No, division of zero by itself is not allowed in any situation. It always results in an undefined answer.

5. How is division of zero by itself related to the concept of limits?

The concept of limits is used to approach the value of a function as the input approaches a certain value. In the case of division of zero by itself, the limit of the function does not exist as it approaches zero, indicating that the function is undefined at that point.

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