shinyhappypeople Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 If 4 divided by 0 is impossible, can you do 0 divided by 4? We're working in MM Division 1 book and, well, I never learned this :blushing: so I can't really help DD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scbusf Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Yes, 0 divided by 4 is zero. In fact, if you divide zero by any number, it's zero. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Yes. The way I teach this in developmental math classes is to think about cookies. 0 divided by 4 is like splitting 0 cookies to 4 people. That works just fine mathematically, none of them get any cookies. 4 divided by 0 is like splitting 4 cookies to 0 people, which is patently ridiculous. In later classes, we explain it because division is the inverse operation to multiplication. Saying "What is 8 divided by 4?" is really saying "What number will give 8 when multiplied by 4?" or in algebraic language, 4x = 8. This works fine when we try to solve 4x = 0, but when we try to solve 0x = 4, we run into the difficulty that any number multiplied by 0 gives 0, so there is no solution to this equation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiana Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Yes, 0 divided by 4 is zero. In fact, if you divide zero by any number, it's zero. Any number except zero, that is -- 0/0 is indeterminate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 My ds likes to remind me that Chuck Norris can divide by zero. (He didn't know who Chuck Norris was until he once googled dividing by zero and apparently there are lists of jokes about all the incredible things that Chuck Norris can do.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemiSweet Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Yes. The way I teach this in developmental math classes is to think about cookies. 0 divided by 4 is like splitting 0 cookies to 4 people. That works just fine mathematically, none of them get any cookies. 4 divided by 0 is like splitting 4 cookies to 0 people, which is patently ridiculous. In later classes, we explain it because division is the inverse operation to multiplication. Saying "What is 8 divided by 4?" is really saying "What number will give 8 when multiplied by 4?" or in algebraic language, 4x = 8. This works fine when we try to solve 4x = 0, but when we try to solve 0x = 4, we run into the difficulty that any number multiplied by 0 gives 0, so there is no solution to this equation. That might be one of the most useful things I've ever read. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathnerd Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Yes. The way I teach this in developmental math classes is to think about cookies. 0 divided by 4 is like splitting 0 cookies to 4 people. That works just fine mathematically, none of them get any cookies. 4 divided by 0 is like splitting 4 cookies to 0 people, which is patently ridiculous. In later classes, we explain it because division is the inverse operation to multiplication. Saying "What is 8 divided by 4?" is really saying "What number will give 8 when multiplied by 4?" or in algebraic language, 4x = 8. This works fine when we try to solve 4x = 0, but when we try to solve 0x = 4, we run into the difficulty that any number multiplied by 0 gives 0, so there is no solution to this equation. I taught my son the division by zero concept and dividing 0 by a number using the exact same cookie analogy!! He was 5 at the time and it has stuck to his mind especially well :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinyhappypeople Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share Posted September 25, 2014 Thank you, that makes sense :) (Now I'm craving cookies...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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