Dividing by Zero (Zero in the Denominator): Undefined | শূন্য দিয়ে ভাগ (হরে শূন্য থাকলে): অসংজ্ঞায়িত

If you divide something by zero, that is undefined.

We can rewrite this mathematical convention (গাণিতিক রীতি/প্রচলন) as the following:

If a fraction (or expression) has zero in the bottom (denominator), then the whole fraction/expression is undefined.

Let me explain.

Suppose we want to divide 4 by 0. So how can we write it on paper?

4/0

Here, in this fraction, 4 is the numerator and 0 is the denominator.

We just learned that dividing anything by 0 is undefined. So,

4/0 is undefined.

If we use the variable “n” to represent any number, we can write:

That’s why, I said that if zero sits in the denominator of a fraction or expression, that entire fraction becomes undefined. Because when zero sits in the denominator of a fraction, that basically means we are dividing the numerator of the fraction by 0.

When we will start solving Quadratic Equations (দ্বিঘাত সমীকরণ), we will utilize this convention again and again.

Note: You don’t necessarily have to understand why mathematicians say dividing by zero is undefined. So if you are in a time crunch, you can skip the next lesson, where I will explain this convention in depth. However, I recommend that you study the next lesson and understand the logical reasoning behind this convention. That way, you will feel more confident and be better prepared for any tricky question IBA may throw at you during the test.