General > Off Topic
Divide by zero
Numsgil:
For the record, the forum should support latex. So you don't need to embed images (I'm assuming you're using latex to generate them, or can get latex out?).
eg:
[img class=\"tex\" src=\"http://www.forkosh.dreamhost.com/mathtex.cgi?2/0 = 2_0\" alt=\"LaTeX: 2/0 = 2_0\" /]
The magic is using the tex tags
This is what the field of Abstract Algebra deals with. Abyaly linked to one important concept called a "field". I'd recommend that you try doing a bit of research about fields and the like before you delve too deeply into this. It'll help you formalize your concepts. Don't do it through wikipedia, though. The math articles are always only useful if you already know what they're talking about. They are a pretty bad introduction to the concepts. Instead of starting with fields, start with groups. They're about the most basic building block in abstract algebra.
If you don't do that AA research, you're just spinning your wheels. Like someone trying to harness the power of lightning without studying electromagnetism in a physics text book.
Numsgil:
--- Quote from: Houshalter ---Careful! You could destroy the universe!
Heres an interesting mathmatical thingy I found on youtube: Clikith here
--- End quote ---
You can't cancel out the terms in the last step. Even though they look equal, x and y might be 0 and then you'd end up dividing by a zero.
Not sure if you knew that was the mistake already, but wanted to point that out.
bacillus:
That's right - the biggest trap in these proofs is often that people assume that (x^2)/x = x.
Houshalter:
When is x^2/x not equal to x? Even if x is zero then its still zero.
triclops200:
If it's zero... it's undefined... that's what I wasted 9 hours finding out the hard way, but I'm still working on it, lol. Even 0/0 still equals undefined... for now.
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