Cortana got this question wrong.

Algebra Level 1

What's zero divided by zero?

Indeterminate 1 ∞ \infty 0

Hobart Pao by Hobart Pao , 23, USA

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1 solution

Hobart Pao
Sep 6, 2015

This was probably posted before, but the reason why I'm posting it again is because I was testing cortana at a best buy (I would never use windows at home) and I asked it: what's zero divided by zero? And it told me that the answer is undefined. That's wrong. Then, I went and tested my calculator on my macintosh and it said "not a number". That's also wrong, because the answer is a number, but it could be any number. Siri's answer was still the best: "Imagine that you have zero cookies and you split them evenly among zero friends. How many cookies does each person get? See? It doesn't make sense. And Cookie Monster is sad that there are no cookies, and you are sad that you have no friends."

If you are aware of L'Hopital's rule, then you'll know why zero divided by zero could be any number like 1, 2, 75, 2015, etc.

3 Helpful 0 Interesting 0 Brilliant 0 Confused

Apparently Siri has evolved into a sentient being. :)

0/0 has no defined value so I suppose some might complain that "undefined" is acceptable too, but to distinguish it from the more pedestrian a/0 for a ≠ \ne 0 the best term to use is indeed indeterminate.

Brian Charlesworth - 5 years, 9 months ago

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In math we do make a distinction between indeterminate and undefined though, right? And if it's a calculus problem, then 0/0 can have a defined value.

Hobart Pao - 5 years, 9 months ago

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With limits, the indeterminate form 0/0 can indeed take on many values depending on the specific functions involved. (We can also end up with the limit not existing at all.) However, if we just write a/0 without any limits then the term has no defined value, i.e., is "undefined", but in the special case of a = 0 the standard terminology is "indeterminate". So while some may complain, I think that your posted answer is correct.

Brian Charlesworth - 5 years, 9 months ago

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@Brian Charlesworth – My answer is correct according to wolfram alpha's definitions of indeterminate and undefined, and I think wolfram alpha is to be trusted.

Hobart Pao - 5 years, 9 months ago

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@Hobart Pao – I just checked wolframalpha as well, (inputing 0/0), and it actually returned "undefined". I'm sure in the past that it returned "indeterminate" as a response so they may have changed their methodology at some point.

However, the link you provide in your other comment seems definitive, so that will have to be your go-to defense of your posted answer. (I see that there has already been one report posted.)

Brian Charlesworth - 5 years, 9 months ago

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@Brian Charlesworth – interesting...the defintions on wolfram alpha of indeterminate and undefined do seem to contradict that though.

Hobart Pao - 5 years, 9 months ago

@Hobart Pao – Also this link is good http://math.wikia.com/wiki/Undefined

Hobart Pao - 5 years, 9 months ago

i totally agree

Ervin Cunanan - 5 years, 8 months ago

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unfortunately "undefined" was removed as an answer choice so people wouldn't wrongly report it. now too many people are getting the problem correct.

Hobart Pao - 5 years, 8 months ago

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