In ordinary arithmetic, what is 0 divided by 0?

Dividing by zero always gives a lot of difficulties to the ones interested in maths. Some branches of science offer different solutions to a problem, but in ordinary arithmetic 0/0 is neither zero nor infinity, it's called an indeterminate form, as it has no single definite value.

In mathematics, division by zero is division where the divisor (denominator) is zero. Such a division can be formally expressed as a/0 where a is the dividend (numerator). In ordinary arithmetic, the expression has no meaning, as there is no number which, multiplied by 0, gives a (assuming a≠0), and so division by zero is undefined.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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128 Comments

Lynn Martin

In ordinary arithmetic, the answer is zero. It isn't until you get up to algebra and the like that it becomes undefined.

Scott Sumone

how do you divide nothing into nothing and come up with anything?....

Alan Adkins

Nothing divided by nothing can only b nothing.... 0

William Laughlin

If you divide a QUANTITY by itself, the answer is 1. Zero is a NON-QUANTITY, so the answer cannot be one.

TracyEllen Carson Webb

Pffffft. I got it wrong, but still, I am neither an idiot or a moron. It's sad that some people must resort to name calling to make themselves sound smarter. It just proves that they aren't very smart at all.

Lynn Martin

Shoshina Jones Considering I was an all honors student, I won't be doing any fact checking, go back to when you learn basic division, the teachers will tell you 0/0 is 0, not undefined.

Genevieve Ruiz

To quote the old Billy Preston song "Nothing from Nothing leaves Nothing."

Nicole Toma-Tolman

Guys, Shoshina is a mindless troll. She comes on here and does nothing but insult people. Don't pay her any mind. Ignore her until she goes away... like that annoying kid on the playground. Who smells bad. And reminds you of a troll. XD

Scott Sumone

Shoshina Jones my wife likes to call me names....she never finished high school...I call no one anything except what they want to be called....0

William Laughlin

Lynn Martin The answer is UNDEFINED! You cannot divide nothing by nothing, which is why it is undefined, not just in algebra.

tangobravotwo

Untrue! Zero divided by zero is zero!

gridirongreen

I disagree, not because I'm right but because it is the next logical step to becoming the world's most disagreeable person.

pykim

Both can work: undefined or infinity. I think in North America, they say undefined but the rest of the world maybe different such as infinity.

marilynmitri

In ordinary arithmetic, like balancing your checkbook, the answer is simply zero.

JRW

Excuse me for having a tertiary degree majoring in maths, but I have never read so much rubbish as much of the below. 0/0 is undefined. William Laughlin and Louella Wilson give good explanations. Any one taught that 0/0=0 (or infinity) had a poor maths teacher.

JRW

Jeanmarie Daugherty, your example divides 0 by 2. Which is 0. Louella Wilson's explanation is sound and correct.

Larry Paula Elliott

I am not a brilliant math person, but I did teach 3rd grade math and we taught the children that 0 divided by 0 is 0….

mainjim

sheesh! It's like going back to elementary school!

Phil Kennelty

Alan Adkins, Sounds like Billy Preston.😎

Rebecca Chapman

Nothing from nothing leaves nothing… you gotta have something if you wanna be with me… anybody?😁😁

Laura Lunardini Wilson

Wrong! It’s ZERO! Basic arithmetic!

Helga U. Williams

I just have a very ordinary mind. Am just an average person. I do know though that if I have no tomato and try to divide it by an imaginary tomato, I still don't have a tomato. Zero tomato, LOL. 😊

Jeanmarie Daugherty

Louella Wilson, I have nothing, zero, zilch. But I will split it with no one; I still have nothing/zero/zilch. Even if I share it with you, we both have zero.