The problem is that could be any number. It would work if were 1 or if it were 1,000,000,000. 0/0 is said to be of "indeterminate form" for this reason, because it has no single value. Numbers of the form A/0, on the other hand, where is not 0, are said to be "undefined", or "undeterminated." This is because any attempt to define them will result in a value of infinity, which is itself undefined. Usually when two numbers are equal to the same thing, they are equal to each other. That is not true when the thing they are both equal to is 0/0. This means that the normal rules of maths do not work when the number is divided by zero.
Questions and Answers
Q: What is the result of dividing a number by zero?
A: Dividing a number by zero results in an "undefined" or "indeterminate form", meaning that it has no single value.
Q: What does 0/0 mean?
A: 0/0 is said to be of "indeterminate form" because it has no single value.
Q: What happens when two numbers are equal to the same thing, but that thing is 0/0?
A: The normal rules of mathematics do not work when the number is divided by zero, so the two numbers would not be equal to each other.
Q: Is it true that any attempt to define a number of the form A/0 will result in a value of infinity?
A: Yes, any attempt to define a number of the form A/0 (where A is not 0) will result in a value of infinity, which itself is undefined.
Q: How can we determine if two numbers are equal to each other?
A: We can determine if two numbers are equal to each other by seeing if they are both equal to the same thing. Usually this works, however this does not apply when both numbers are equal to 0/0.
Q: Is there an exception for when we cannot divide a number by zero? A: Yes, in mathematics it is not possible to divide a number by zero.
