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This is what happens when you divide by zero on a 1950 mechanical calculator

submitted by the_old_ones to History 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 20:15:41 ago (+57/-0)     (files.catbox.moe)

https://files.catbox.moe/ed6z1v.mp4



44 comments block

sort by: hot new top old low

[ - ] Clubberlang 10 points 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 21:17:51 ago (+10/-0)

Ahhhhh now I get it!

This is the math they've been using to pay bribes to Ukraine and now Israel.

[ - ] Bottled_Tears 0 points 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 11:42:31 ago (+0/-0)

Forced errors! Correct! Woops!? Let's not correct this math is math fucking send it!

[ - ] allAheadFull 7 points 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 22:15:02 ago (+7/-0)

Those things were expensive. I worked at an insurance company, someone told me that back when digital calculators came out the stat nerds wanted them, but had to have a business case to get them because of the cost. They would set the calc to divide by zero then go to lunch to try to wear it out.

[ - ] PotatoWhisperer2 1 point 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 00:11:18 ago (+1/-0)

Considering their cost, you would think someone would have a try/catch for dividing by zero.

[ - ] allAheadFull 5 points 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 01:11:54 ago (+5/-0)

Well White people built them and figured White people would be using them so...

[ - ] PotatoWhisperer2 1 point 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 18:05:50 ago (+1/-0)

White people would be using them so...

The nerdy White guy would immediately see if the machine could handle edge cases like infinity or dividing by zero. If nothing else than just for the fun of it. That's how a lot of people become hackers. "Huh, neat machine. Wonder what happens if I do this."

[ - ] SithEmpire 0 points 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 01:58:50 ago (+0/-0)

To reminisce of a better time, where programs just crashed if the user lacked intelligence. Like with video creation, keeping computing inaccessible to incompetents had its advantages!

[ - ] PotatoWhisperer2 1 point 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 18:03:55 ago (+1/-0)

I remember learning reel-to-reel video editing from high school. Fancy stuff!

[ - ] i_scream_trucks 3 points 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 20:36:06 ago (+3/-0)

Was hoping for a black hole to appear or at least a tsar bomba level explosion.

3/10 am disappoint.

[ - ] s23erdctfvyg 1 point 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 22:02:38 ago (+2/-1)

1/x = y > 1 so long as x < 1 & x >= 0. As x gets smaller and smaller y gets larger and larger. As x approaches 0, y will approach infinity. The inverse 1/y = x so long as y > 1 is also true, as y approaches infinity, x will approach 0.

I'm not sure where exactly the notion you can't divide by 0 came from, probably some half assed field of mathematics that couldn't play nice with basic division logic. O and infinity * 0 = 1.

[ - ] Name 7 points 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 22:11:31 ago (+7/-0)*

You’re just trying to cover up the fact that that calculator is still spinning to this day.

[ - ] s23erdctfvyg 1 point 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 23:20:34 ago (+1/-0)

That's why it's infinite.
And a shitty calculator without an infinity display, or a retard switch.

[ - ] i_scream_trucks 1 point 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 23:25:13 ago (+1/-0)

Infinite is also a place holder. An arbitrarily large amount or a non ending sequence.

[ - ] s23erdctfvyg 1 point 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 00:07:28 ago (+1/-0)

Correct, key point here "non ending sequence".
If you divide by a fraction that is endlessly small, you will get a product that is endlessly large.
Which is why, at least in the decimal system, it is reasonable to assert x / 0 = x * inf.

[ - ] GrayDragon 2 points 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 07:55:52 ago (+2/-0)

No. Division by zero is undefined. The breakdown can be shown by approaching from the negative, where Y approaches negative infinity instead of infinity. So is x / 0 simultaneously infinity and negative infinity?

[ - ] Inward 0 points 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 08:38:59 ago (+0/-0)

If I have three pies and divide it by nothing I still have three pies.

[ - ] s23erdctfvyg 0 points 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 15:05:19 ago (+0/-0)

This is probably one of the better explanations I've seen for why you shouldn't divide by 0. Still it just results in an answer that can be worked around like the sqrt. sqrt(9)= +or-(3). x/0= x * (+-)inf. Annoying and obnoxious, but doable.

[ - ] Name 0 points 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 23:52:21 ago (+0/-0)

What’s a Retard Switch? I thought for a while that I had a Retard Lever on my calculator but then I realized my calculator was a 1920s Ford automobile and the ignition timing had to be manually retarded to match engine rpm.

[ - ] s23erdctfvyg 3 points 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 23:53:58 ago (+3/-0)

You enter an unreasonable retarded combination like x/0, and it flips a switch so it doesn't calculate, and calls you a retard.

[ - ] BulletStopper 2 points 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 00:47:04 ago (+2/-0)*

calls you a retard

Analog numerical display flips to bright, safety-orange display of the word "RETARD", keys lock up, and it can only be unlocked again by a supervisor with a key.

"Uh-huh. Tried to divide by zero, didncha."

[ - ] SumerBreeze 2 points 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 22:18:29 ago (+2/-0)

Why isn’t it 2?

[ - ] s23erdctfvyg 0 points 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 23:17:05 ago (+0/-0)

Because dividing by 0 is equal to multiplication by infinity, and multiplying by 0 is equivalent to dividing by infinity. What is x/x, it is 1, what is infinity/infinity, it is 1, so infinity * 0 = infinity/infinity = 1

[ - ] SumerBreeze 1 point 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 01:31:25 ago (+1/-0)

That’s not a logical comparison though

[ - ] i_scream_trucks 1 point 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 23:24:21 ago (+1/-0)

Zero doesn't get bigger or smaller. It's zero. It's a place holder. Nothing divided by nothing is still nothing. Nothing multiplied by nothing is also still nothing.

[ - ] s23erdctfvyg 1 point 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 00:03:53 ago (+1/-0)

Zero doesn't get bigger or smaller. It's zero.
Correct

It's a place holder.
Yes an no. Within the realm of integers it is nothing, within the realm of decimals it is a placeholder for an infinitely small decimal.

Nothing divided by nothing is still nothing
Within the decimal system, it's 1. Any arbitrarily small number divided by itself will always be 1.

Nothing multiplied by nothing is also still nothing.
Correct 0*0=0 in both the integer and decimal system.

[ - ] AryanPrime -2 points 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 02:23:42 ago (+0/-2)

^^^Getting mad people aren't adhering to it's kike mathematics lmfao

I bet you are one of these faggots who still thinks einsteins theory of relativity is true lmfao

[ - ] s23erdctfvyg 0 points 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 03:09:03 ago (+0/-0)

I'm not mad, and nearly ever school and institution would say I'm wrong.

[ - ] Trope 0 points 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 00:27:39 ago (+0/-0)

Agreed.

Also, 0 divided by 0 is 1.

Zero goes into zero exactly 1 time. Semantically, it’s solid math.

[ - ] prototype 0 points 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 03:01:36 ago (+0/-0)*

I see your shitpost, and I raise you:

3/2 = 1.5
3/1 = 3
3/0 = ?
3/-1 = -3

I also find it interesting that some people look at division by zero as approaching a limit.

If we look at it, we can see an obvious sequence emerge

3-3/(1-0.9)
-27.000000000000007

3-3/(1-0.99)
-296.9999999999997

3-3/(1-0.999)
-2996.9999999999973

3-3/(1-0.9999)
-29997.000000003303

3-3/(1-0.99999)
-299997.0000013653

3-3/(1-0.999999)
-2999996.999913733

etc

We can get the same basic sequence back with the following:

(3100-3)-1 = 0
(3101-3)-1 = -27
(3102-3)-1 = -297
(3103-3)-1 = -2997

etc.

In a way we can approach division by zero as an exponent problem, where the exponent is a variable n, and n trends toward infinity in 10*n (assuming we look at it through limits, which isn't correct but is interesting).

However it breaks some rules. Like you can't do x/0 = infinity, because then infinity0 != x, unless it covers all integers, which would mean it has no unique solutions.

[ - ] s23erdctfvyg 0 points 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 03:21:11 ago (+0/-0)*

For the sake of solving equations, it would be best described as 3/0 = 3inf, in much the same way that you would add the imaginary number i when trying to square a negative number. I.E. sqrt(-9)=3i
The reason for this is that it leaves the possible option of removing the infinity as the equation continues to be solved.

Edit:
Like you can't do x/0 = infinity, because then infinity0 != x, unless it covers all integers, which would mean it has no unique solutions.
Not the best way to phrase it, although I'm guilty of that as well, for all real numbers x, x/0 = inf but inf 0 = x.
I can see the problem, 0 * inf should be 1 but that would simply make the equation for all real numbers x, x=1 which is false.
The issue with infinity is that it is an endless number, so while infinities may not start equal they are all indistinguishable from one another. So yea, it has to be treated like an imaginary number to avoid miscalculations. Either eliminated or carried to the end of the equation.

[ - ] prototype 0 points 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 03:35:48 ago (+0/-0)

I'm just shitposting.

[ - ] s23erdctfvyg 0 points 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 03:41:54 ago (+0/-0)

So am I, a mild mixture of boredom and tiredness.

[ - ] prototype 1 point 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 03:47:09 ago (+1/-0)

So am I, a mild mixture of boredom and tiredness.

Same.

Good night for a night hike.

[ - ] s23erdctfvyg 0 points 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 04:00:40 ago (+0/-0)

Well, good night then I'm going to bed, make sure to take a gun with you.

[ - ] albatrosv15 1 point 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 08:21:52 ago (+1/-0)

Free Energy device.

[ - ] Sleazy 1 point 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 22:53:01 ago (+1/-0)

Awesome

[ - ] observation1 1 point 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 22:42:16 ago (+1/-0)*

Makes sense

Dividing with zero can be interpreted as a word problem in 3 different ways.

the digital calculator wont attempt it because it needs more information to give an answer.

But this mechanical one attempts to put the zero variable in a solid state.

What are the three ways to divide by zero, you ask?

1) how much pie remains if guests eat 0 slices from it? (answer is 1)

2) how much pie is eaten if 0 guests show up? (Answer is 0)

3) How many slices of pie can you make if you cut the pie into 0 degree slices? (Answer is infinity)

The latter is the way the mechanical calculator runs it, trying to find infinity.

Beautiful.

[ - ] VitaminSieg 1 point 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 23:18:02 ago (+1/-0)

Define zero degrees. It's not on my protractor.

[ - ] the_old_ones [op] 3 points 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 23:53:17 ago (+3/-0)

Define zero degrees. It's not on my protractor.

on a protractor, less then 1

on a compass, due north

on a transformative change, same direction as the original vector.

[ - ] BulletStopper 1 point 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 00:52:34 ago (+1/-0)

What you get for buying a cheap-ass chinese protractor. Should have gotten the German one. You get what you pay for.

[ - ] Empire_of_the_Mind 0 points 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 17:36:20 ago (+0/-0)

That's awesome on like five levels, good post

[ - ] Nalbarcam 0 points 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 04:03:47 ago (+0/-0)

now that's fucking cool

[ - ] TheOriginal1Icemonkey 0 points 1.5 yearsNov 10, 2023 01:10:53 ago (+0/-0)

And here I was expecting luls from it stopping at 6,000,000.

[ - ] HonkyMcNiggerSpic 0 points 1.5 yearsNov 9, 2023 22:15:21 ago (+0/-0)

That's cruel!