Why x*0 = x

[Aractus]

That doesn't explain it, the correct explanation is now create piles of zero books, how many piles would you need?

[Excited Penguin]

When I was 10 or 11 (I think), there was a girl in the class who couldn't grasp that division by 0 wouldn't work.  The teacher was impressively patient with her, but she still didn't grasp it.  The teacher then did something which I thought was brilliant.

He called the girl up to the front, then asked 10 of us to bring our textbooks up and place them on the desk.  He then asked the girl to create a single pile out of the books.  She did, and the teacher told her, 'Ok, that's  10 divided by 1, and it gets us 10 books in one pile.  Now, divide the books into two even piles.'  She did, and he said, 'That's 10 divided by 2, which gets us 5 books in each pile.  With me so far?'  She was, and he had her divide the books into five even piles, explaining, 'Now, we've divided the 10 books by 5 piles, which gets us 2 books each.  Now, divide the books into zero piles.'  She looked at him for a second or two, and I swear I remember seeing the light dawn on her face.

With the right teacher, anyone can be taught.

Boru

Or you can just burn the books or something and then 10/0=0

[Excited Penguin]

That doesn't explain it, the correct explanation is now create piles of zero books, how many piles would you need?

You would need 0 piles.

[Gambit]

When I was 10 or 11 (I think), there was a girl in the class who couldn't grasp that division by 0 wouldn't work.  The teacher was impressively patient with her, but she still didn't grasp it.  The teacher then did something which I thought was brilliant.

He called the girl up to the front, then asked 10 of us to bring our textbooks up and place them on the desk.  He then asked the girl to create a single pile out of the books.  She did, and the teacher told her, 'Ok, that's  10 divided by 1, and it gets us 10 books in one pile.  Now, divide the books into two even piles.'  She did, and he said, 'That's 10 divided by 2, which gets us 5 books in each pile.  With me so far?'  She was, and he had her divide the books into five even piles, explaining, 'Now, we've divided the 10 books by 5 piles, which gets us 2 books each.  Now, divide the books into zero piles.'  She looked at him for a second or two, and I swear I remember seeing the light dawn on her face.

With the right teacher, anyone can be taught.

Boru

Unfortunately, I have yet to meet the teacher who can teach me maths. I think I have numeric dyslexia or something. As soon as I try to understand even high school level maths, my brain starts to hurt. :/

[Excited Penguin]

When I was 10 or 11 (I think), there was a girl in the class who couldn't grasp that division by 0 wouldn't work.  The teacher was impressively patient with her, but she still didn't grasp it.  The teacher then did something which I thought was brilliant.

He called the girl up to the front, then asked 10 of us to bring our textbooks up and place them on the desk.  He then asked the girl to create a single pile out of the books.  She did, and the teacher told her, 'Ok, that's  10 divided by 1, and it gets us 10 books in one pile.  Now, divide the books into two even piles.'  She did, and he said, 'That's 10 divided by 2, which gets us 5 books in each pile.  With me so far?'  She was, and he had her divide the books into five even piles, explaining, 'Now, we've divided the 10 books by 5 piles, which gets us 2 books each.  Now, divide the books into zero piles.'  She looked at him for a second or two, and I swear I remember seeing the light dawn on her face.

With the right teacher, anyone can be taught.

Boru

Unfortunately, I have yet to meet the teacher who can teach me maths. I think I have numeric dyslexia or something. As soon as I try to understand even high school level maths, my brain starts to hurt. :/

You would probably just need to look at it in a different way. Also, I find that if you really try with something you'll eventually lose yourself in what you're doing and you'll definitely make progress.

[Longhorn]

Or you can just burn the books or something and then 10/0=0

Nope, if you burn the books you have 0 books, not 10. You can't divide 10 books into 0 piles; it's just impossible.

[Alex K]

That doesn't explain it, the correct explanation is now create piles of zero books, how many piles would you need?

You would need 0 piles.

???

[Longhorn]

That doesn't explain it, the correct explanation is now create piles of zero books, how many piles would you need?

That's not correct. The number of books in the pile is the outcome of the division, not the number we're dividing by. As in 5 piles of 2 books each is 10/5=2. The number of piles is what we're dividing by, so the question of 10/0 is the question of dividing 10 books into 0 piles. Physically impossible.

[Excited Penguin]

That doesn't explain it, the correct explanation is now create piles of zero books, how many piles would you need?

That's not correct. The number of books in the pile is the outcome of the division, not the number we're dividing by. As in 5 piles of 2 books each is 10/5=0. The number of piles is what we're dividing by, so the question of 10/0 is the question of dividing 10 books into 0 piles. Physically impossible.

You don't divide them at all so it should be zero.

I'm just trying to apply common sense, I already know I'm wrong.

[Aractus]

That doesn't explain it, the correct explanation is now create piles of zero books, how many piles would you need?

You would need 0 piles.

To consume the 10 books...