Dividing by zero makes all numbers zero...?

[Pulchritude]

I'm sure someone has done this before, but I couldn't help but think about it.


Yes, I realize that you cannot have a denominator of a fraction with a value of zero, but I'm sure that this is mathematically legal through some sort of technicality. This is all under the assumption that you have basic sixth grade math skills, but I'll just demonstrate a basic problem anyway:

To start off,   1/2 = x
Therefore           1 = 2x
And thus            x = .5

And here's a more "complex" problem:

Start with    5/8 = x
Therefore         5 = 8x
And thus           x = 0.625


Got that? Well then let's move on to zero:

5/0 = x
     5 = 0x
     5 = 0

Does this cause some sort of paradox? I need not demonstrate that this is the result for any number... I'm sure that this isn't mathematically correct, but as I said before,  I can't help but think about it.

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[Iban]

This is more or less exactly what is on Wikipedia.

It does not cause a paradox because it cannot happen. Any attempts to define division by zero has resulted in failure.

[Visage]

Been so long I can't remember if x = infinite possibilities or x is undefinable. Nvm X is undefinable.

[Fredulus]

let's think about this logically

can you divide a pizza into 2 parts? yes
can you divide a pizza into 8 parts? yes
can you divide a pizza into 0 parts? no, that just can't happen.

and don't say "by eating it ololool", when you're eating it you're just dividing it up into tons of little tiny pieces.

Edit: also your math for the 0 portion is incorrect.

5/0 = x
     5 = 0x
     5 = 0

between the 1st and 2nd line, in a normal equation you'd multiply by the denominator to get rid of the fraction. if you multiply both sides of the equation by the denominator, which in this case 0, the equation would become 0 = 0,  not 5 = 0x.

[Visage]

It's actually 5 = 0x, because it's already dividing by 0 so multiplying it by 0 just cancels the 0, and in this case it is okay to do that but as you can see whenever you do that you will get something that doesn't equal something else, making x undefinable, or no real solutions, been so long I forget all the possibilities. Now I am pretty sure it is no real solutions.

[Fredulus]

It's actually 5 = 0x, because it's already dividing by 0 so multiplying it by 0 just cancels the 0, and in this case it is okay to do that but as you can see whenever you do that you will get something that doesn't equal something else, making x undefinable.

well you COULD say that it just cancels out the 0, but that obviously makes the equation false. it's a "mathematical identity" or whatever that when multiplying anything by 0, it will equal 0.

but none of that really matters as it's logically impossible to divide something by 0.

[Visage]

well you COULD say that it just cancels out the 0, but that obviously makes the equation false. it's a "mathematical identity" or whatever that when multiplying anything by 0, it will equal 0.

You obviously don't get basic math.

If an equation is 5/2 = x and you times both sides by 2, it becomes 5 = 2x, not 10 = 2x, you are cancelling out the 2 not multiplying by it. And I realize you wouldn't multiply by 2 since x is already alone, just an example.

[Placid]

well you COULD say that it just cancels out the 0, but that obviously makes the equation false. it's a "mathematical identity" or whatever that when multiplying anything by 0, it will equal 0.

what
who did you learn this from
because it's not right

that's only when you're multiplying something by 0, i.e. x
what you're doing is removing the division, not multiplying whole --
goddamnit visage

[Fredulus]

to cancel out the 2 you multiply both sides by it. that cancels out the 2. it doesnt magically cancel itself, you have to do something.

5/2 = x
2(5/2)=2(x)
-2's cancel out here-
5 = 2x

to cancel out the denominator of a fraction you multiply. you guys are really stupid.

edit: to restate again, to cancel out division you HAVE to multiply the whole. often times when doing math you skip over that step but it's really what you're doing.

[Visage]

to cancel out the 2 you multiply both sides by it. that cancels out the 2. it doesnt magically cancel itself, you have to do something.

5/2 = x
2(5/2)=2(x)
-2's cancel out here-
5 = 2x

to cancel out the denominator of a fraction you multiply. you guys are really stupid.

Yea you multiply by 2 to cancel it out, you don't THEN multiply the 5 by 2 again just for fun. I am sorry but you are the stupid one. Same with the 0, you cancel it out, you don't THEN multiply the 5 by 0 again for fun.

[Fredulus]

Yea you multiply by 2 to cancel it out, you don't THEN multiply the 5 by 2 again just for fun. I am sorry but you are the stupid one. Same with the 0, you cancel it out, you don't THEN multiply the 5 by 0 again for fun.

i'm not multiplying the 5 by 2 again, dumbass
i'm multiplying the whole fraction. the whole side of the equation. do you not understand what ()'s do in math?
you can't JUST multiply the bottom of the fraction, you have to do it to ALL of BOTH sides of the equation. that's like the most basic rule of algrebra.

[Visage]

I was showing how you did that one right and the first one wrong. You didn't multiply by 2 again in that one, so why did you multiply by 0 a second time in the first one?

[Otis Da HousKat]

Visage is talking about this

between the 1st and 2nd line, in a normal equation you'd multiply by the denominator to get rid of the fraction. if you multiply both sides of the equation by the denominator, which in this case 0, the equation would become 0 = 0,  not 5 = 0x.

before you make another handicapped post Fredulus.

[GenaralSkar]

5/0 = x
     5 = 0x
     5 = 0

Exactly what number can you multiply by 0 to get 5?

[Messes]

I don't believe in math