What happens if you divide by zero?

Answer 1

"Division by Zero in mathematics is undefined because no definite meaning can be attached to this operation. To understand this, notice that a/0=b must (if it means anything) mean the same as a=0•b.
However, if a≠0 then a=0•b is not true for any b; and if a=0 then a=0 is true for every b. This tells us that a/0 cannot be assigned a definite value- and therefore has no meaning." --George Simmons

Answer 2

The reason is related to the associated multiplication question. If you divide 6 by 3 the answer is 2 because 2 times 3 IS 6. If you divide 6 by zero, then you are asking the question, "What number times zero gives 6?" The answer to that one, of course, is no number, for we know that zero times any real number is zero not 6. So we say that division by zero is undefined, for it is not consistent with division by other numbers.

Answer 3

You can't divide anything by zero...not even zero. Zero in the denominator of a fraction in a big math no-no. You can't divide something by nothing...it doesn't work or make any sense at all. If you try on your calculator you'll get an error message of some sort.

Answer 4

You can't divide by zero, because it wouldnt be dividing. Take the example of dividing a pie (pizza, apple, whatever kind of pie you want) If you divide it into one piece, you don't cut it because it already is in one piece. Dividing by zero is trying to divide it into 0 pieces. this is impossible, since leaving it alone would make zero pieces, and cutting it would only divide it into more pieces. Therefore, any number divided by zero is undefined.

Answer 5

well...see there is a problem with dividing by zero...

we can look at it as attempting to divinde something into a zero number of parts...well we just cant do it...basically by dividing something by zero...say we wanted to divide a pizza into zero slices...that means we would want that pizza to occupy zero space...but that cant happen becaues clearly there is a pizza.

so...as you can see...we can divide by zero...so we can't actually know what happens if we were to divide by zero...its sorta like saying what if someone were to drink all the water in the world...would they explode...well someone could never do that...so we cant really say

hope these analogies were helpful in your quest for zero

matttlocke

Answer 6

Remember that division is shorthand for subtraction. The answer for 10/2 is 5 which is the number of times that 2 can be subtracted from 10. For 10/0 there are an infinite number of options no matter how often you subtract 0 from 10, you still have 10. This is why mathematicians accept that division by 0 is not possible.

Answer 7

You can try, but you probably won't be able to do it. You see, it would cause all of mathematics to be consumed by a singularity, reshaping the world into a new reality where the Zermelo-Frankel axioms imply the negation of the axiom of choice (unlike in today's reality, where they're independent). While this would stop the Banach-Tarski paradox, professional mathematicians are not prepared for the other consequences of this

As a result, a small team of highly-trained mathematical assassins would break down your door to stop you from doing that rash act. If you're a first-time offender, they usually just take away your zero and suspend your division license for a year. After that, I shudder to think of the consequences.

Answer 8

Division by zero gives you an undefined number, and any answer to an equation that is something over zero means that the equation has no solution. If the zero is in the numerator of the fraction, then it equals zero.

Answer 9

You can't divide by zero--- how can you have an amount of something if there is nothing?

Answer 10

You tear a hole in the fabric of the univese! Just kidding.
Anything other than zero divided by zero is infinity.