Re: Interesting math

In article <f7h4lu02eq5@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
R H Draney <dadoctah@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Evan Kirshenbaum filted:

Hatunen <hatunen@xxxxxxx> writes:

Division by zero is undefined. Anyone who has even dabbled in basic
number theory knows that. And division by zero does not create an
infinite number for that reason. What we CAN say is that as the
divisor approaches zero the result grows larger and larger.

I'm sure you know this, but this is only necessarily true if the
dividend is constant. If the dividend and divisor are functions of a
variable, the quotient can go to anything you like as the divisor
approaches zero. 2x/x, for example, will approach two. x^2/x will
approach zero. If the divisor goes to zero faster than the dividend
does, the quotien will, in fact, diverge to infinity.

Oh, cool!...we get to do limits?...

Why not? We seem to be doing lots of other things that match the
subject line better, maybe, than the original post did!

2x/x not only approaches two the closer x gets to zero, it has a constant value
of two for every *other* value of x...(only in mathematics can you speak of
"approaching" a place you're already at)....r

A long time ago I came across a quotation I wish I could remember
better -- something about how anything one says to mathematicians
they immediately translate into their own language, whereupon it
becomes something entirely different. Seems somehow applicable.

--
Decline To State
(But the e-mail address in the header should work.)
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Interesting math
    ... infinite number for that reason. ... divisor approaches zero the result grows larger and larger. ... translate into their own language and forthwith it is something entirely ...
    (alt.usage.english)
  • #Num! Error
    ... When there is a number in the divisor, everthing is fine, ... but when the divisor is zero (the dividend is always zero at that point as ... The control source for this control is: ...
    (microsoft.public.access.reports)
  • Re: Question about divisors of zero
    ... I would like to know whether divisor of zero(in any of the systems ... been useful in explaining some physical phenomena or has it been more ... In physics, all over the place, you use matrices. ... The rings of matrices are chock-full of zero divisors. ...
    (sci.math)
  • Re: #Num! Error
    ... Use IIfto test for zero in the divisor: ... When there is a number in the divisor, ... > but when the divisor is zero (the dividend is always zero at that point as ... The control source for this control is: ...
    (microsoft.public.access.reports)
  • Re: Expression too complex Error
    ... You'll need to decide what number to use in your average when the divisor is ... zero as the result if the divisor is zero: ... <MS ACCESS MVP> ... FROM TestTable AS T1 INNER JOIN ActualTable AS E1 ON ...
    (microsoft.public.access.queries)