Can i divide zero

If two fractions have the same denominator , the one with the bigger numerator is bigger. The process we described means that every single fraction with a denominator has the same value. This is impossible as we know that the fraction with the higher numerator in this case should be the bigger number. Pre-Algebra Dividing Integers. Explanations 4 Alex Federspiel. Video Division Properties by mathman Here's a video by mathman that goes over some properties of division. A Number Divided by 0 Finally, probably the most important rule is: a0 is undefined You cannot divide a number by zero!

Related Lessons. View All Related Lessons. Caroline K. Dividing by 0. Image by Caroline Kulczycky. Notice this is different from dividing zero by a number. Ivan Hu. Can you divide by 0? So dividing by 0 is an inherently impossible thing. Undefined vs Indeterminate When something other than 0 is divided by 0, the result is undefined.

Alex Federspiel. If I divide 1 by 0. This is a millionth. So we see a pattern here. As we divide one by smaller and smaller and smaller positive numbers, we get a larger and larger and larger value. Based on just this you might say, well, hey, I've got somewhat of a definition for 1 divided by 0.

Maybe we can say that 1 divided by 0 is positive infinity. As we get smaller and smaller positive numbers here, we get super super large numbers right over here. But then, your friend might say, well, that worked when we divided by positive numbers close to zero but what happens when we divide by negative numbers close to zero? So lets try those out.

Well, 1 divided by negative 0. And, if we go all the way to 1 divided by negative 0. So you when we keep dividing 1 by negative numbers that are closer and closer and closer and closer to zero, we get a very different answer. We actually start approaching negative infinity.

So over here we said maybe it would be positive infinity, but you can make an equally strong argument that it could be a very different number. Negative infinity is going the exact opposite direction. So you could make an equally strong argument that it should be negative infinity. And this is why mathematicians say there's just no good answer here.

Because if we treated it like a number we'd run into contradictions. Ask for example what we obtain when adding a number to infinity. The common perception is that infinity plus any number is still infinity. If that's so, then. That in turn would imply that all integers are equal, for example, and our whole number system would collapse.

So, in that case , what does it mean to divide by zero? That's OK as far as it goes, any number z satisfies that equation. We could argue that it's 1, or 2, and again we have a contradiction since 1 does not equal 2.

But perhaps there is a number z satisfying 2 that's somehow special and we just have not identified it? So here is a slightly more subtle approach.