You can't divide by zero!

[joaquins]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ7pUADoo58

JS

 

[JohnRoberts]

Humans can (= infinity), computers can't.

Why can't I open links after drinking?

JR

 

[okgb]

According to Professor Billy Preston [ who could certainly divide allot of that hair ]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_DV54ddNHE

 

[joaquins]

Humans can (= infinity), computers can't.

Why can't I open links after drinking?

JR

you can't divide by zero... Is a definition to insert a result in this operation.

If you have U$1000 and you have to expend it all before going home, you go to a shop that has a lot off stuff at the same price this is what happens.
If price is 1000 for everithing 1000/1000=1 you can pick one thing and go home.
If price 100->1000/100=10 you pick 10 and go home.
If price is 10cents 1000/0.1=10000 you pick 10000 things and go home.
If price is zero for any stuff in shop you can't acomplish the instruction and you'll never reach home.

JS

 

[JohnRoberts]

Humans can (= infinity), computers can't.

Why can't I open links after drinking?

JR

you can't divide by zero... Is a definition to insert a result in this operation.

If you have U$1000 and you have to expend it all before going home, you go to a shop that has a lot off stuff at the same price this is what happens.
If price is 1000 for everithing 1000/1000=1 you can pick one thing and go home.
If price 100->1000/100=10 you pick 10 and go home.
If price is 10cents 1000/0.1=10000 you pick 10000 things and go home.
If price is zero for any stuff in shop you can't acomplish the instruction and you'll never reach home.

JS

That's why mathematicians came up with the abstract term "infinity" as a solution for equations with a boundless result hundreds of years ago. Simple machines or computer programs that try to perform division by iterative subtraction become locked in an infinite loop when told to divide by zero.  DIV by 0 is a familiar computer error.

I often run into problems with software routines I write where I try to calculate the difference between two levels in dB. Ratios are like fractions. I can get locked into an endless loop if one of values is 0, since anything is infinite dB more than nothing. 

JR

PS: And today the link opens up...  I'll just add "nothing from something leaves something"

 

[Kingston]

I think that Atmel chip was it its best behaviour with this operation. It was being asked to divide by zero within the bounds of its physical existence. The result was fractions of the actual chip which we can file away as a great attempt.

[insert another pun about the chip blowing its mind trying to come up with a way to describe infinite]