Zero

[khansaheb]

An Italian Mathematician Helped Bring the Zero to Europe​

Italian mathematician Leonardo Pisano, better known as Fibonacci, introduced the Hindu-Arabic numeral system to Europe through his groundbreaking book Liber Abaci (The Book of Numbers) in 1202. He referred to zero as zephirum, a term derived from the Arabic word ṣifr, meaning "empty" or "nothing." This Arabic term, in turn, originated from the Sanskrit word śūnya, which also means "empty." Over time, zephirum evolved linguistically, becoming zefiro in Italian and "zero" in modern English.

 

[Agent Smith]

I once stated that zero is only three-fourths a number, because with it you can add, subtract, multiply but not divide. Since you can divide zero by another number (except itself), I should've said it's only five-sixths a number.

 

[topsquark]

I once stated that zero is only three-fourths a number, because with it you can add, subtract, multiply but not divide. Since you can divide zero by another number (except itself), I should've said it's only five-sixths a number.

Define "number."

-Dan

 

[Agent Smith]

Define "number."

-Dan

A thing is fully a number when you can perform add/sub/mul/div with it. Reference number 1

 

[topsquark]

A thing is fully a number when you can perform add/sub/mul/div with it. Reference number 1

No. A number is an object used to represent quantity. It has nothing at all to do with what you can "do" with that number. For example, 2 (mod 6) is fully definable as a number even though it has no multiplicative inverse.

-Dan

 

[Steven G]

I once stated that zero is only three-fourths a number, because with it you can add, subtract, multiply but not divide. Since you can divide zero by another number (except itself), I should've said it's only five-sixths a number.

It should be seven-eights of a number using your method.

 

[topsquark]

It should be seven-eights of a number using your method.

Or 0.9 if we are using the Metric System.

-Dan

 

[Agent Smith]

Zero was discovered by the Mayans (shell), the Hindus (dot), the Egyptians (nfr), but not the Babylonians (I believe they would write 2 3 and the only way of knowing this was 23 was context; it could be 23, 203, 2003, etc.)

 

[Agent Smith]

It should be seven-eights of a number using your method.

Thanks.

 

[Agent Smith]

No. A number is an object used to represent quantity. It has nothing at all to do with what you can "do" with that number. For example, 2 (mod 6) is fully definable as a number even though it has no multiplicative inverse.

-Dan

That is interesting.

 

[BeansNRice]

I think a mention of the difference between cardinal and ordinal numbers is in order here.