Is Zero a zero or a Hero?
By dpk262006
@dpk262006 (58676)
Delhi, India
June 7, 2016 1:56am CST
It is believed that zero was discovered in India. Zero is one of the innocuous looking symbol/digits as far as Mathematics is concerned. If it is mentioned solely on a piece of paper or elsewhere, it simply means absence of quantity. It is the origin of any kind of measurement; line or point from which all divisions of a scale start. It also means ‘nothing’.
Although, zero if used alone remains a ‘zero’, however, if it is placed along with a number (e.g. 1 to 9 ) without affecting the value of that number it could do wonders and it could increase the value of that number ten times or hundred times (as the case may be) than its actual value. Therefore, zero turns a hero if placed alongside a number.
In your views is zero important in maths and do you think that zero should be treated as a hero or zero?
Picture courtesy -
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15 responses
@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
15 Jun 16
@else34
Yes, you are right that if a number/digit is multiplied by zero, the answer will also become a zero.
@else34 (13515)
• New Delhi, India
9 Jun 16
@Daljinder And what if zero is divided by an integer?
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@Daljinder (23236)
• Bangalore, India
8 Jun 16
In the same way, divide by zero and you get infinity. Forever!
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@Daljinder (23236)
• Bangalore, India
8 Jun 16
Wasn't that Aryabhatta who discovered zero?
To answer your question, it depends on the perceptions and which way you want to look at it. Glass half full or glass half empty?
2 people like this
@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
15 Jun 16
It is said the zero was invented in India or by an Indian. I am not too sure if it was Aryabhatta because I was not born at that time.
Yes, you are right the way we place zero, it could result in zero or it could become a hero. What are your views on it?
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@else34 (13515)
• New Delhi, India
15 Jun 16
@Daljinder,So far as I know,it was Bramhmagupta,not Aryabhatt,who invented zero.I may be wrong though.
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@else34 (13515)
• New Delhi, India
15 Jun 16
@dpk262006 Zero was invented in India and by an Indian.
If you place zero on the right side of a digit,the digit would be divided by 10,100,1000,10000....The decimal system.
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@sunilmishra7756 (4263)
• Moradabad, India
13 Jun 16
Zero is nothing in itself. But when it is put at the right place , it is hero.
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@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
15 Jun 16
@sunilmishra7756 - Welcome Sunil ji. Would like you to be more active on mylot, as you used to be here earlier.
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@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
15 Jun 16
Would you consider Zero as a zero or it becomes important or say a Hero, as soon as it is added to any digit?
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@LadyDuck (471421)
• Switzerland
15 Jun 16
@dpk262006 Of course it's a hero if it's added to any digit.
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@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
16 Jun 16
@LadyDuck - Yes, you are right. Our friend Toni [ @toniganzon ] has rightly pointed out in her response that no one could remain alone and if s/he joins another person, s/he becomes more powerful.
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@Gita17112016 (3611)
• Trinidad And Tobago
24 Nov 16
What an amazing topic for discussion. I like it. If i may I'll like to take some tine to give his response?
Is it a zero? Well it's certainly the point of origin.You define it as the 'absence of quality' and as 'nothing'? Do you know that you have touched the Divine Concept? This has been by aspiration. In the argument of which came first the Chicken or the Egg? The answer was off course, the Egg. The egg represent the oval shape from whence all thoughts emanate and originate. The Void, the Nothingness...the Zero. And from this unfathomable depths came the first abstract concept or a thought (eg an idea for a cup) and then the form (the physical creation of a cup) manifest. So, yes, zero is the great start (the bindu in the forehead), the origin. it is what all things are measured against. I agree.
Is it a hero? But of course. It adds value to other things, gives the manifest form and multiply all things yet retains its potential of nothingness. Such a great paradox.
You know, at one point in my life I was a professional Tarotist. Zero was the potential Force that manifest and this Force (Soul) was called the hero (human child)...the Fool with choices to make. If he made foolish choices in life he becomes a Fool.Now this new born human has to live his life (through the numbers 1-9 at the number absorbing knowledge and at 10 duality set in and man absorbs duality knowledge of the world. At the number 21, he must detach himself and give up all worldly attachment...and then return to ZERO, the state of nothingness.
Zero is nothing, It add, it detracts, it builds, it dissolves and yet it remains ZERO. How great is that? The snake biting its own tail!
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@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
25 Nov 16
I did not know that mentioning zero is like touching a Divine concept.
Yes, you seem to be right that egg would have come first and egg or oval shape would have given an idea to crave out other things like a cup etc.
It is interesting to know that you were a Terot reader and you have analysed zero in that sense also.
Zero may be nothing in isolation but when it combines with any digit, it acquires much value.
@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
28 Nov 16
@Gita17112016 - Yes, you may be right. You could start a new discussion on this concept, if you so desires. It is a new concept for me.
@Gita17112016 (3611)
• Trinidad And Tobago
26 Nov 16
@dpk262006 It is a very abstract concept and it's worth a discussion.
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@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
12 Apr 17
Yes, it becomes a hero, only when it is added to a number.
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@toniganzon (72281)
• Philippines
7 Jun 16
Zero can only be a zero if it's alone. Which also tells us that in this life, no man is an island and if we want to be happy and succeed, we need to be with others.
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@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
8 Jun 16
I am really impressed with analogy drawn by you. If we are alone, we are like an isolated island, but if we are joined by someone, it becomes altogether a different situation.
@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
15 Jun 16
@toniganzon - Absolutely! No one in this world could live alone.
@toniganzon (72281)
• Philippines
8 Jun 16
@dpk262006 Yes, coz nobody could just live alone successfully in this world and that includes zero.
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@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
16 Jun 16
In your view a zero should not be considered as a zero only, actually it becomes a hero the moment it is used at the right place.
@SIMPLYD (90722)
• Philippines
17 Jun 16
@dpk262006 Yes , it becomes that way indeed .
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@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
15 Jun 16
Yes, you are right the way it is used and placed, it could considered be as a zero or a hero.
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@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
20 Jun 16
If you do not add any digit to zero or do not place zero alongside a digit, it remains a zero. For example if you put '0' after '9', it becomes '90' and its value increases 10 times. However, in your response you have written ten zeroes {0000000000} without adding any digit. Even if you right 10 zeros, its value will be equal to zero. So I am not clear, how it zero in your answer, is hero for you?
@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
28 Nov 16
Yes, you are very right that if zero is used alone, it has no value, however, the moment it is added to another number, it increases the value of that number to many folds, therefore, it is a hero.
@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
17 Jun 16
You really have great sense of humour. I love it.
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@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
17 Jun 16
@sol_cee - While going through your responses/comments/posts I have not felt that you are sarcastic. I find that you are full of humour and you post witty comments.
@sol_cee (38219)
• Philippines
17 Jun 16
@dpk262006 Well FYI someone told me I'm sarcastic. lol
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@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
20 Jun 16
Nice to hear that you were Maths teacher. I hope you still love Maths.
About zero, you are right. Yes, it should be considered as a Hero because it does wonders when added to any digit.
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@dpk262006 (58676)
• Delhi, India
16 Jun 16
Yes, you are right. Are you of the view that it is actually a hero ?