POV-Ray : Newsgroups : povray.beta-test : Div/Zero and Infinity : Re: Div/Zero and Infinity Server Time
29 Jul 2024 08:18:42 EDT (-0400)
  Re: Div/Zero and Infinity  
From: Slime
Date: 15 Jun 2002 21:17:56
Message: <3d0be744@news.povray.org>
> I would like to point out something not usually thought of: What is 1/0? I
> notice that as the denominator approaches zero, the result approaches
> infinity. 1 dividen into millionths results in a million pieces. 1 divided
> into bajillionths results in a bajillion pieces.

> Just because our digital mathematics aren't up to the task doesn't mean
the
> result doesn't exist. The result of dividing 1 by 0 should be infinity.


Since when does the fact that

limit(x->0 +) of 1/x = infinity

imply that

1/0 = infinity

? It doesn't. Limits at a point of a function have absolutely nothing to do
with the value of a function at that point.

Also note that if you're going from the left hand side (negative numbers),
it approaches *negative* infinity. So the limit of 1/x doesn't even exist at
x=0 unless you specify a direction.

anything divided by zero is undefined. Not just because computers can't
handle it, but because it's mathematically considered to be undefined.

 - Slime
[ http://www.slimeland.com/ ]


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