Zero
From the Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can change
Zero is a special number. If there are zero things, there are not any things. There are none.
Contents |
[change] Example
John has zero hats. John has no hat. John does not have a hat.
[change] Symbol
The symbol for the number zero is "0".
[change] Arithmetic with Zero
Zero is a special number. That is because:
- Adding a number to zero results in that number. For example, adding three to zero gives three. In symbols:
3 + 0 = 3
- Subtracting zero from a number gives that number. For example, subtracting zero from three gives three. In symbols:
3 - 0 = 3
- Multiplying a number with zero gives zero. For example, multiplying forty three with zero gives zero. In symbols:
43 x 0 = 0
- Division of a number by zero is impossible. That is against the rules of arithmetic. Dividing any number with zero (for example on a calculator) results in an error.
[change] History of zero
The idea of zero was first thought about in Babylon, India and in Central America at different times. Some places and countries did not know about a zero, which may have made it harder for those people to do mathematics.
Over hundreds of years the idea of zero was passed from country to country. From India and Babylon to other places, like Greece, Persia and the Arab parts of the world. The Europeans learned about zero from the Arabs.
[change] The place of zero as a number
Zero is not used as a place number (ordinal number). This means that it is not used like 1, 2, or 3 to indicate the order, or place, of something, like 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.
Some other things about zero:
- The number zero is a whole number.
- The number zero is not a positive number.
- The number zero is not a negative number.
- The number zero is an even number.
Any number divided by itself yields a result of one, except if that number is zero. In symbols:
0 ÷ 0 = "not a number."
In time, zero means "now". For example, a person is counting down the time to the start of something, such as a foot race or when a rocket takes off. The count is: "three, two, one, zero (or go)". Zero is the exact time of the start of the race or when the rocket takes off into the sky.
