As a numerical expression, it's undefined indeed. Fun fact, though: if an algebraic expression leads to 0/0, it's actually possible to solve the indefinition!

For example, sinc(x) is a function defined as sinc(x) = sin(x) / x. For x = 0, that's sin (0) / 0, and sin (0) = 0, which means that sinc(0) = 0/0. The solution in this case is finding the derivatives of sin(x) and x, which are cos(x) and 1, and using them in the indefinition point: sinc(0) = cos(0) / 1, and cos(0) = 1, so sinc(0) = 1.

You're never going to actually find situations like that unless you're doing actually serious math, though.

6 years ago

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Faranth

Isn't is still undefined because as soon as we add another plane to graph it instantly becomes two different limits again? The naive calculation would suggest one limit but from what I remember from my math studies, if you add imaginary plane consideration it ceases to be so neat...

6 years ago

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Cassol

late for the reply

This kind of abstract math isn't really my field of expertise, but isn't "adding another plane" another way of saying "redefining your function entirely"? I'm not sure you can even consider it the same function.

Or maybe I'm just talking nonsense. I don't really know this stuff beyond "it works like this when you need to calculate". :P

6 years ago

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tevemadar

It has a name too: L'Hôpital's rule :-)

6 years ago

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Cassol

Yeah, a name that's been the source of a great deal too many dumb jokes by calculus students. :D

And I'm saying that now like I'm the only one not guilty of it, but I also did it back in the day! ~~And I even thought I was being funny (okay maybe not).~~

6 years ago

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