1200-year-old problem 'easy' [dividing by zero]

BBC ^ | 12/8/06

[LibWhacker]

Schoolchildren from Caversham have become the first to learn a brand new theory that dividing by zero is possible using a new number - 'nullity'. But the suggestion has left many mathematicians cold.

Dr James Anderson, from the University of Reading's computer science department, says his new theorem solves an extremely important problem - the problem of nothing.

"Imagine you're landing on an aeroplane and the automatic pilot's working," he suggests. "If it divides by zero and the computer stops working - you're in big trouble. If your heart pacemaker divides by zero, you're dead."

Computers simply cannot divide by zero. Try it on your calculator and you'll get an error message.

But Dr Anderson has come up with a theory that proposes a new number - 'nullity' - which sits outside the conventional number line (stretching from negative infinity, through zero, to positive infinity).

'Quite cool'

The theory of nullity is set to make all kinds of sums possible that, previously, scientists and computers couldn't work around.

"We've just solved a problem that hasn't been solved for twelve hundred years - and it's that easy," proclaims Dr Anderson having demonstrated his solution on a whiteboard at Highdown School, in Emmer Green.

"It was confusing at first, but I think I've got it. Just about," said one pupil.

"We're the first schoolkids to be able to do it - that's quite cool," added another.

Despite being a problem tackled by the famous mathematicians Newton and Pythagoras without success, it seems the Year 10 children at Highdown now know their nullity.

[LibWhacker]

Appalling that this guy is even allowed in a classroom.

[Shady]

Eleventeen times twentitwo equals a frillion. Just ask the Pointy Haired Boss.

[TeenagedConservative]

Genius. I never could thought of something like that.

[billbears]

Don't see it as anymore ridiculous than i. Square root of negative -1. What sort of math is that? And considering Newton and Pythagoras apparently tried to address it, it must be a concern to someone.

[1rudeboy]

To demonstrate his theorem, Dr. Anderson pointed to Paris Hilton.

[rhombus]

Eleventeen times twentitwo equals a frillion.

This is the new Government basis for social security calculations. Get used to it. :-)

[TX Bluebonnet]

To demonstrate his theorem, Dr. Anderson pointed to Paris Hilton.

LOL

[narby]

Appalling that this guy is even allowed in a classroom.

It makes perfect sense in the computer universe. I handle such things with special cases that jam in a number that I can deal with. I wish the hardware would just do it for me because crashing the system merely because the math is impossible is just not an option when you're navigating with a GPS.

[frithguild]

Just did 0/0= on my Windows Accessories Calculator. The Answer = "Result of function is undefined."

Maybe Anderon uses Linux???

[Sloth]

i is actually useful for describing real-world phenomena, such as electrical voltage. This Anderson guy, on the other hand, just sounds like an assclown.

[353FMG]

""It was confusing at first, but I think I've got it. Just about," said one pupil."

Wait till the kid decides to study science - he'll have to start from scratch again. Let no child be left behind, hee-hee-hee.

[Ken522]

Wouldn't it be easier to convert the numbers into logarithms and subtract them?

[tacticalogic]

At least i can be rationalized by squaring. I believe "that short of math" is calculus. I don't see any possibility of rationalizing nullity.

[Glenn]

2 + 2 = 5 for certain values of 2.

[vox humana]

Nullity is the medical term for brain damage caused by the ingestion of too many recreational drugs.

[LibWhacker]

What sort of math is that?

An extremely useful one! An algebra of complex numbers is well-understood and well-defined. But when you start trying to divide by zero, you run into all kinds of unacceptable results.

[bagadonutz]

Don't see it as anymore ridiculous than i. Square root of negative -1. What sort of math is that? And considering Newton and Pythagoras apparently tried to address it, it must be a concern to someone.

Imaginary or "i" numbers are useful in doing vector analysis. One application I recall from engineering school deals with complex electrical circuits.

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

The world should be very grateful to i. It has solved problems in signal processing -- radios, tvs, audio, communication, control systems , airplanes, rockets, missiles, radars....just about anything else you can imagine.

[IYAAYAS]

It's always been possible to divide by zero. infinity/zero=1, always has. Dirac delta functions are used all the time in higher math. i=sqrt(-1) is used every day in Electrical engineering, AND it's real.

[JamesP81]

"Imagine you're landing on an aeroplane and the automatic pilot's working," he suggests. "If it divides by zero and the computer stops working - you're in big trouble. If your heart pacemaker divides by zero, you're dead."

This might sound overblown, but speaking as a code cruncher, it isn't. Not even slightly.

However, this guy is just trying to "officially" legitimize in the math world something that computer scientists already do: assign a value to an equation that divides by zero somewhere. In the programming world, we already do this by having our programs return null or not a number for a divide by zero, or we deal with it using exception handling since a divide by zero will pitch an OS exception error. This is actually the best way because normally, if you divide by zero in an equation that probably indicates a special case for that formula and an exception handler can deal with that special case while simultaneously not crashing the system.