How zero was created and Why you cannot divide by zero?
Imagine you lived in a world where 0 was not invented. Only numbers from 1-billion, etc. How would you describe you have no apples in the basket? Would you say, “I have no apples”? what number would it represent?
Zero! I have zero apples. I have nothing. its simple.
Believe it or not: zero apples and having “nothing” is NOT the same thing!
Difference between “Nothing” and Zero —
Zero does not mean you have nothing
Zero means you don’t have of “something”
friend A: do you have apples?
friend B: No I don’t have any apples in my basket
friend A: I have 5 apples in my basket
friend B: Well, good for you, I have nothing!
friend A: Nothing?! You have at least 1 basket!
So to signal that you have “no apples” in your empty basket, ancient Hindus created number 0 to describe this situation in terms of symbol called “zero”.
Another example:
- When you have a bank account and you have no money, you have $0 dollars on your statement.
- When you don’t have a bank account ->you don’t have a statement and therefore you do NOT still say I have $0. So, you just say you have “nothing”.
So zero must be within the context of something to mean it is empty.
DIVISION: it is just a matter of convention. Like in a language, you have to use certain grammar rules for the language to work and carry meaning that bring practical results. Same thing in math.
for example:
With 0/5 = 0; it is allowed because you can do the reverse multiplication and get accepted consistent result 5*0 = 0 (✓). If you want to get back to the original format you can just divide 0 by 5 and get 0.
With 5/0 = 0; when you try to do the reverse multiplication you get 0*0 = 0 and somehow the number 5 is gone (✖). You lost number 5 and; therefore, cannot go back where you came from.
Because 0*0 does not provide any relationship to other mathematical solutions it is as if a person asks for a direction and reply is “Take any direction” which is too ambiguous and chaotic for mathematics too accept.
Hence, the 0/0 is impossible in the mathematical convention.
So, zero is not a number. It is a concept where you can get something from nothing. If it makes practical problems solvable, then so let it be real.
for more historical background and 0 applications, check out this helpful video and how zero related to infinity.
p.s. I started reading the book Mathematics for non-Mathematicians, and I want to share insights with those who never understood numbers but always loved solving puzzles.
