1/0

[randall]

Since that topic went way off course in the Argentum forum, it was rightfully locked.<br><br>Still, I'd like to hear more supporting theories about 1/0.<br><br>Using calculators and computers doesn't help much in this matter, since they are prone to the "can't divide by zero" errors. The human brain is much better at dealing with levels of abstraction like this.<br><br>I'm not saying 1/0 = infinity, or 1/0 != infinity. To tell you the truth, I don't really know and haven't thought much about it.<br><br>But here are some mathematical facts:<br><br>A line can be bisected resulting in two equal length lines. Each of those lines can be bisected as well. The resulting lines can bisected an infinate number of times and will APPROACH a zero length, but will NEVER BECOME a zero length.

[Moose or Chuck]

1/0 = infinity<br>therefore<br> 1 * infinity = 0<br>That's the simplist I can make it using first year, first week, first day algebra reasoning.<br><br>If a circle has a radius of infinite, how can it's outer edge be a straight line? It no longer IS a circle. That's something that's been rolled back and forth in my mind since Event Horizon. Anyone care to shed light?<br>I think I understand it. But if it had a radius of infinite it would have no outer rim to be straight or curved.<br><br>Last modification: Moose Master - 06/16/01 at 14:05:56

[Moose or Chuck]

Ya, that's true. According to mathematics a bouncing ball will NEVER stop bouncing. Very interesting. But is this true? Or is a bouncing ball better represented by an exponential graph?

[randall]

just because you type 1/0=infinity doesn't make it so.<br><br>1*infinity=354<br><br>There, we are now rewriting the rules of mathematics. It doesn't require complex math to explain this.<br><br>According to Moose, 1*infinity = 0, which is the same as infinity=0. So Moose is saying:<br><br>1/infinity = infinity<br>OR<br>1/infinity = infinity/1<br><br>Which isn't true. Both sides of the equal sign must be equal.<br><br>Count as high as you can by ones, and at what point do you revert back to zero? You don't and never will. You could count indefinately, and every time you think you have reached the highest number possible you can always add one more.<br><br>

[Moose or Chuck]

1/0 equals not solvable. thats what i always wrote. Stop trying to analyze the impossible.

[Moose or Chuck]

I'm saying that:<br>1/0 = infinity<br>Every answer is a possible answer, or rather, non-answer.<br>Therefor<br>1 * infinity = 0<br>Think about it. Infinity is not a distance you can count to. Infinity is EVERY SINGLE NUMBER. 0 is part of every single number, so 1 * (Every single number including 0) = 0.<br><br><br>

[Warren]

There is a limit to numbers. Infinity is known as the never ending number, but there is an end. Take the smallest particles in the universe, and fill up the universe until not one more can fit. That is the largest number possible. And if you saw that number plus 1, that number can't exist because there will be no phyical matter that can hold it.

[Paul]

hang on, i'm getting confused. isnt infinity just the largest number you can think of, and obviously it is 'infinitely' large as you can just keep adding 1? um... i dunno

[Digby]

I posted a in the that got suppressed that explains why you can't divide a number by zero.  Either people here haven't taken the time to read it, or they read it and decided it was a pack of lies and they trust their views over that of a mathematical professor on this particular matter.  The next thing I'm going to see here is a thread about the world being flat!<br><br>In any case, here is another for you guys.  This is from a professor in the Dept. of Mathematics at the University of Utah.  Why don't you all read this (it's only a few paragraphs) and then try to debunk it.  Heck, the professor's e-mail address is there on his page.  If you still are quite certain you can divide a number by zero, then send him e-mail telling him he's nuts and has no business brainwashing students.<br><br>I'll play fair.  You find a text book, or something on the web from a credible source explaining why you can divide a number by zero and I'll happily go read that and I'll come back here to discuss with you.  If you give me the e-mail of your educator who taught you that you can divide a number by zero, I'll send them an e-mail and post their reply here for all to see.<br><br>Randall, I agree with you that this discussion in the other forum was off-topic and should have been closed.  The sad thing was that Carpediem had to get in his last jab before he closed the topic.  Am I the only one who thinks that is an  immature and childlike action (even for this website)?  I hope he continues the discussion here and attempts to explain his position.<br><br>

[Moose or Chuck]

Digby, that doesn't really explain it well enough. I don't even think that paper kept a continual train of thought throughout. All it says is that it can't be done unless this variable is set, and then explains that even then it is not possible. I believe either that division of zero is possible, or if it isn't, that our mathematical basis is flawed. <br>It DOES have an answer, but with our current understanding infinity is the closest that we can come to in our reason. And since we can't even fathom the complexity of infinity, we leave it as undefined (per quota (whatever that means) the link you directed us to). <br>But let's not think of it as a ratio of numbers. I want to know what it means to divide a phyiscal object into 0 pieces. <br><br>After we've finished that we can move onto the meaning of infinite in a geometrical world, Which particular intrigues me.

[randall]

Sorry Moose, but I think Chuck wins this round since he is the first one to simply say that it is undefined (which is what I was taught a million years ago when the world WAS flat).<br><br>I'm not going to comment amount Carpes last word, other than the fact that it IS his Argentum Forum and he can maintain it as he sees fit.

[Digby]

Moose,<br><br>The paper from the University of Utah Math Dept. explains why a division by zero is undefined.  It's based on the mathematical definition of multiplication and division:<br><br>If r = a/b then a = r * b<br><br>If b = 0 then a can only ever be equal to zero to satisfy the equation.  The value of r then can be anything.  You could say that r has an infinite number of values which would satisfy the equation. However that certainly isn't the same thing as saying the value of r is equal to infinity.  Perhaps this is the source of confusion for some folks?<br><br>Still confused?  Good.  Let's plug in some of your favorite values...<br><br>a = 1/0, then 1 = a * 0<br><br>What value of a will satisfy 1 = a * 0?  None that I know of.  Anything multiplied by 0 is 0, right?<br><br>Let's look a bit deeper into the equation, a = 1/0. In order to convert the division to multiplication we need to multiply both sides of the equation by the multiplicative inverse of 1/0, which is 0/1.  What is the value of 0/1?  What is the value of 1/0 * 0/1?  <br><br>Do you see how this quickly falls apart?  Mathematicians found that dividing a number - any number by zero broke so many of the fundamental rules of mathematics that they determined the result to be undefined.<br><br>Randall, I wholeheartedly agree that Carpe did the right thing by ending the thread.  It's his forum and he can moderate it any way he sees fit.  I'll certainly remember that as I post there in the future.<br><br>

[Chris Edwards]

Thanks Digby, that was inspiring. I can now go up to my math teacher and say: "I have proof that 1/0 is equal to infinity". And she will say: "Wow Chris, your brilliant; I wish everyone was as smart as you!".

[Moose or Chuck]

And I'm basically saying the infinity can not be defined. So we're arguing the same point between each other. Nuff said, discussion over.<br><br>Now lets move onto why a circle with a radius of infinity has a straight line for it's outer edge. I don't understand that one much. I think I have a basic idea, but still no explanations in words comes to mind.

[Moose or Chuck]