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

Back to Messageboard

Post New Thread

Help

Stats

Rules

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.

Honorbound and honored to be Bonded to Mahtaliel Sedai
Last First in wotmania Chat
Slightly better than chocolate.

Love still can't be coerced.
Please Don't Eat the Newbies!

LoL. Be well, RAFOlk.

Reply to message

Math question Darth_Katie - 28/04/2011 09:40:34 AM 764 Views

Both are undefined. Camilla - 28/04/2011 10:04:55 AM 629 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 256 Views

This isn't really true. 0/x=0 when x!=0. Ghavrel - 28/04/2011 10:22:04 AM 602 Views

Yeah, I levelled down a bit on purpose. *NM* Tim - 28/04/2011 10:36:47 AM 244 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 593 Views

The limit of 0/x would be zero random thoughts - 28/04/2011 01:55:03 PM 595 Views

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

*NM* Ghavrel - 28/04/2011 07:37:44 PM 252 Views

Oh, limits. Darth_Katie - 28/04/2011 08:05:11 PM 632 Views

Re: Math question Isaac - 28/04/2011 02:21:04 PM 646 Views

Yes, late night math is not a good idea. Darth_Katie - 28/04/2011 08:14:48 PM 678 Views

For all the reasons stated. Joel - 28/04/2011 06:15:27 PM 588 Views

Re: For all the reasons stated. Hobo - 09/05/2011 05:56:59 PM 625 Views

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

Joel - 09/05/2011 09:50:33 PM 556 Views

Divide By Cucumber Error. Please reinstall universe and reboot. *NM* Tigr - 28/04/2011 08:11:22 PM 276 Views

But I threw away the disk! Darth_Katie - 28/04/2011 08:15:25 PM 563 Views

Thanks, Hex. *NM* Ghavrel - 28/04/2011 08:44:35 PM 233 Views

Back to Messageboard

Post New Thread

Help

Stats

Rules

Reply to Message

Subject

Formatting

Smiley Codes

Body

<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></quote>

<quote id="206236">This is the way I first saw it explainer, and I think it makes the most sense to me.</quote></quote>

<quote id="206236">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>

Link title

Link url

Send notification emails?

Username

Password