TurbostarFan
On Moderation
Is calculating 0% of a sum of money e.g. £10.00 an impossible sum or is it actually possible? If so then what is the result?
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Is this dividing by zero
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northwichcat
Veteran Member
Say you were calculating 1% the calculation you would do is (1/100)*10=£0.10
So if you were calculating 0% the 0 replaces the 1 - you are dividing zero by a hundred not a hundred by zero. As the result is 0 it then means you multiply 0 by 10 which is 0.
So if you were calculating 0% the 0 replaces the 1 - you are dividing zero by a hundred not a hundred by zero. As the result is 0 it then means you multiply 0 by 10 which is 0.
BRX
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Depends what you mean by 'dividing by a percentage' which sounds like something different from calculating a percentage. What's the purpose of the calculation?
TurbostarFan
On Moderation
Post amended to clarify this point. Many thanks.
A 0 out of 100 proportion of anything is zero.
EM2
Established Member
Yes, it's possible. The result is 0.
edwin_m
Veteran Member
They always told us at school 'of means multiply'. So no division involved.
The impossible thing you are thinking of is sharing £10.00 among zero people.
Jona26
Member
Although you are correct in stating that "of" refers to multiplication in a mathematical context there is also division involved as a percentage would be x divided by 100. EG 10% = 10/100.
northwichcat
Veteran Member
It's not necessarily dividing the sum of money between people. What if it's calculating an interest rate or a pay rise?
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
0% of anything is 0.
edwin_m
Veteran Member
That would be multplying too - 10% interest or pay rise is calculated by multiplying by 10/100.
Arguably true, though % could be seen as simply a way of expressing a number in a different way. For example if you type "10%" into a cell in Excel it will automaticaly format that cell as percent, but turn it back to general and it just shows 0.1.
I remember a quote that was read out on Radio 4 from some trade union person, probably around the time of the Winter of Discontent:
5% of nothing is nothing. We want 10%.
There is no division by zero in the example given in the opening post so the answer to the question in the title is no.
northwichcat
Veteran Member
I wasn't arguing the calculation would be different more that you said it's an impossible outcome as you can't divide £10 by zero people.
DarloRich
Veteran Member
The answer is 0. This is a fairly basic concept of maths. So basic even I understand it!
DarloRich
Veteran Member
The answer is still 0!
northwichcat
Veteran Member
Question was rhetorical.
DarloRich
Veteran Member
Of course. Doesn't change the answer!
pdeaves
Established Member
To answer the original question, no, it's not dividing by zero (impossible), it's multiplying by zero (easy).
Busaholic
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The O phone might be more appropriate.
TurbostarFan
On Moderation
LOL, the only question is where do I get a phone with that OS?
bb21
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So we have established pretty much that 10 x 0% = 0.
Now 0 ÷ 0% = ?
I expect some of you to already know the answer, but always interesting seeing the others argue it out.
Merry Christmas.
Now 0 ÷ 0% = ?
I expect some of you to already know the answer, but always interesting seeing the others argue it out.
Merry Christmas.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
0 divided by 0% of what?
So we have established pretty much that 10 x 0% = 0.
Now 0 ÷ 0% = ?
I expect some of you to already know the answer, but always interesting seeing the others argue it out.
Merry Christmas.
According to my online calculator, "Error" is the answer.
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Esker-pades
Established Member
0 ÷ 0% = ?
0% really refers to 0 out of 100 or 0/100.
Therefore, the actual sum is 0/(0/100).
0/100 = 0.
So, the sum becomes 0/0.
That is impossible.
Therefore, the correct answer is "no".
0% really refers to 0 out of 100 or 0/100.
Therefore, the actual sum is 0/(0/100).
0/100 = 0.
So, the sum becomes 0/0.
That is impossible.
Therefore, the correct answer is "no".
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
0/0 is an interesting question. Clearly any nonzero number divided by 0 is undefined/infinity depending who you ask. But zero...you could argue 0/0 is just 0.
Esker-pades
Established Member
How does one share out nothing with nobody? The mathematical rule I was always taught was that dividing anything by zero is impossible.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
On the basis that if you share out nothing with any number of people they all get nothing.
I see both arguments to be honest.
Esker-pades
Established Member
Zero divided by a non-zero number is zero. Zero divided by zero is not zero.
If one has a thing and has to share it out, one simply cannot share it out with nobody. If one retains it, then technically it has been divided by 1 (you've got the whole thing).
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