Calculator: Divide by 0 gives Infinity (3/94)

When I divide the number 1 by the number 0, using the Calculator DA, I get the answer 'infinity.' Why does the calculator give me this answer?

Any number divided by "nothing," or "zero" is undefined.

You can take the limit of 1/n as n->0 and you'll see that as "n" is in the whole number domain and decreases from +░ toward 1, and that the result approaches "1." As "n" decreases from 1 toward 0 (.9,.8,.7,...,.0000003, ...,.00000000002, etc.) the result gets larger (for example: 1/.2 = 5, 1/.02 = 50, 1/.002 = 500, etc.). As the "n" gets smaller, the result gets larger. As "n" approaches 0, the result approaches +░.

In Calculus, lim (1/n) as n->0 => +░ which is undefined, so either "infinity" (░) or "undefined" is the correct answer.

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Published Date: Feb 19, 2012