1200-year-old problem 'easy' :: A Way to Divide by Zero

[Impotence]

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."

Dividing By Zero [Real Player Format]

Article: BBC.co.uk

 

[DaRuSsIaMaN]

Check out this comment someone posted! I seriously almost fell out of my chair laughing at this... (but u have to read the article itself for it to make sense)

Pythagoras
If the definition of infinity (positive) is 1/0 then is 2/0 not two times infinity? This would be a larger infinity by the math rules that I know. This concept can be extracted an infinitum. As a result, 1/0(1/0) is an infinite infinity, also know as an absurdity. Does this make any sense? Infinity is infinite by definition and therefore nothing is larger. Maybe, just maybe Mr. Anderson is 1/0 nuts. That's it, the man is off his blinking rocker. Now for there real issues of life - just how many angels can fit on the head of a pin?

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Anyway I agree with most of the people there: this seems pretty stupid. It's just a matter of programming correctly to get around x/0.

 

[zeus]

Computer models and programs aside, 1/0 is still maths.

Imaginary numbers are work-around for the sqaures of negative numbers. Basic maths says its not possible to have a squared number equal a negative number, just like 1/0 isnt possible. But if imaginary numbers weren't thought of there would be no solutions for many simple problems.

Its good people chase these old problems... there was some relusive russian not long ago who cracked another problem.
Grigori Perelman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia