Undefined is definitely the way to go here, since defining a number for the result of division by zero pretty much destroys very important mathematical properties and makes possible proofs that all numbers are the same, and other nasty things.

The only context in which infinity is a useful answer is when you’re taking the limit of n/x where x approaches 0. In this case, x never actually IS 0, and the value goes up towards infinity as x get smaller and smaller. This still isn’t a fully general solution, though, since negative values of n will go to negative infinity and n = 0 is indeterminate, i.e. there’s not any answer that you can determine.

When dealing with computer hardware, IEEE 754 (the most common floating point spec for ALU implementations) defines n/0 in terms of limits, so you have the possibility of +inf, -inf, and NaN. Integer math (on x86 at least) triggers an interrupt on division by zero.

Well lets see… I think we shold have all learned this is Trig and Pre-cal… so the answer is undefined… b/c like Levi said… if you use infinity as the answer than you are dealing with screwin up the whole mathamatical platform… b/c you are giving reason to beleive that all numbers are one in the same… so I think the Smart thing to do is go with undifined as the answer…

When you divide by zero on a PowerPC chip (G4, G5, etc) you get zero. Since these chips are his holiness steve jobs’ true choice, we may have a divine answer here. (This is an important different from x86 to watch out for when writing portable code.)

As an aside, I find the types of ads google lists on your blog amusing:
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I get the Seinfeld reference, Dan, but am surprised to see you use it here. And woah/whoa — per m-w.com, at least. (I was thinking whoah, but defer to the dictionary.)

I love the philosophical 1/0 debate going on here. Good stuff.

think of deviding by zero like this take (one)devided by(nothing)
(two)devided by (1) equals 2 beacause your seperating 2 objects into groups of 1 each and the answer is the amount of groups you end up with which is 2 but if you devide by zero your seperating 2 objects into groups containing no objects thus you end up with infinity its not alreals its the largest # ever which is unreasonable so thats why it seams its undefined its both really just like a quadratic function there are 2 answers its undefined and infinity

this is ridiculas it is obveosly infinity ask any math proffessor

Um yeah, undefined and infinity are the same thing, especially in calculus. Usually limits that involve infinity are called undefined. And it is due to the limiting pocesss stated above about decreasing the denominator, hence the limit as the denominator approacjes zero is indeed an exponentially increasing number. Undefined just means it has NO numerical value or definition since infinity is not an attainable umber. But have fun with this physics equation: V=IR is the voltage due to a current and a resistance. Say yourn given a voltage of 120 volts and a superconducting wire (absolutely no resistance so its 0) and you want to find the current, is the current undefined due to V/R=I written as 120/0= infinity, nope its 120 amperes. There are equations in physics where division by zero is allowed. But then again usually things in physics are messed up.

I know its an old topic but I couldnt let it just hang as the answer had to be undefined, 0 or infinity but as all of them at once.

But that’s just it isn’t it? All numbers ARE one and the same. I know many of you don’t agree with this statement but I’ll say it anyway b/c its the most logical response:
Anything divided by 0, does prove all numbers ARE the same, because God invented the language of numbers, it is the language of God.
God is to divide by 0, which is why science is constantly re-writing and re-proving itself by trying harder and harder to precisely define something. All it does is repeat… for infinity or forever.

My question is give justification why 0 divided by 0 does not exists i want something that i can be delivered in front of a lay men means some sort of a real problem, which easily understandable i know that anything divided by zero is infinity as it is possible to give a real sort of answer but why 0 divided by 0 does not exists

JavaScript returns infinity as well.
http://geneburnham.5u.com/JScalc.htm

Sorry, I was just giving an example of a language that had not yet been used.

Oh, you’re quite welcome.
P.S. I’m sorry about all the ads on that page, it’s just how free web hosting stays free…

1/0=infinity, Why? Because group theory proves it, graphing proves it, logic proves it, and algebra proves it.
~~~~~Group Theory and Algebra
They say that multiplication for the REALS is a group.
In order to be a group 4 things must be true
1) closure
2) associativity
3) Identity
4) Inverse
The multiplicative identity is 1 because x*1=x
This means that x*y=1, y is the inverse of x. Every possible x needs a y… However
what if x is 0?
0*?=1
We say nothing right? Not the case, otherwise the real numbers wouldn’t be a group. 0*infinity=1
Thus also 1/0=infinity
~~~Graphing
Anyone ever seen a parabola? (y=1/x) As x get’s closer and closer to 0, y get’s closer and closer to…what? Oh yes Infinity.
~~~~~Logic
I have 5 apples, I’m making groups of 0 apples. How many groups can I make? Here’s you group of 0 apples, and here’s your group of 0 apples, and yours…..forever! Infinity.
~~~~~Bonus Logic
Our system is poor, imagine a system where not only the numerical value of the number was important, but also the history of the numeric value. Every number has a history, it’s just we don’t often understand it. For example, 10 kids are in a class. This number 10 has a history, in fact a history and creation on more than one way. One history may be that 3 kids came in first, then later 2 kids, then 5 kids. Even though 10 is 10, the origin of that 10 can vary. In the real world sense there’s infinite history’s for every number but in the math world we can limit this. So here’s our new system, one where 3*2=6, and that 6 is not identical 3+3’s 6. It’s origin must be carried with it. Just because our system doesn’t carry the history doesn’t mean this factor isn’t there, and can come into play when working with things like infinity. Now let’s apply this to infinity. We know that there are different types of infinity, for example the sum of all terms of 2x from (1,2,3…inf) is infinity but it is not as great as an infinity as one that’s from the sum of all terms 5x from (1,2,3…inf). And thus we see that the origin of the infinity is greatly important.
Thus infinity+1 is not = to infinity; they both are forms of infinity yes, but their history must be kept with them. so (infinity+1)-infinity=1 and not 0; Only by keeping the history of the infinity can we solve things back to our system with it. This is a concept we are not use to in math.
One final concept of importance in the “infinity, infinity+1, infinity*2, infinity^2″ stuff. Think as infinity as an arbitrary point, one that we use merely for reference. And the number’s actually instead of looking like this (…-2…0…1/8…sqrt2…5…infinity) the infinity end should look a little more like this …infinity-1….infinity….infinity+1…) where even as you keep adding to 0 or minus-ing from infinity you’ll never reach the same value unless you minus infinity from infinity or add infinity to 0.

And when you keep the history for infinity, all the laws of modern math still work actually.

There have been some god awful statements made here. I’m of the opinion that some people need to stick to b1tching about computer games on tech forums and leave the right people to discuss mathematics

ha i think thats funny because according to what is the standard answer to this problem, undefined and infinity are the same.

1 divided by 0 would be both infinity and undefined.
it means you are dividing or separating or cutting 1 into 0 pieces. if i had 1 apple and i wanted to cut it into 0 pieces, how long would i be slicing that thing? an undefined (”not limited” according to the dictionary) amount of times, or an infinite amount of times. same thing.

however error is my fav.
divide by zero and then check your answer if you want to see what i mean. =D

How many of you have taken a Calculus course? Limits, L’Hopital’s rule, etc..

Particularly L’Hopital’s rule

yes i know about this what a incredible theory quantumised disburgities in number. uses laws of physics to prove mathematical modules what an explicit solution