Re: 0 * X = null?

From: snafu (nastyman514_at_yahoo.com)
Date: 01/30/05 

Date: 30 Jan 2005 08:48:47 -0800

>> Him: "If you had 2 Xs, you'd have 2 * X. If you had 1 X, ­you'd
have 1
>> * X. If you had 0 Xs, you would have 0 * X (nothing), no­t 0. You

>> would not have a 0, because 0 is a thing (it's a number). ­ Only
'null'
>> is nothing."

> It looks like you fell for his joke!

After telling him your responses, he said he wasn't joking!

He went on to say:

Him: "Not only is 0 * X <> 0, but X - X <> 0. X - X = null for the
same reason. Imagine you have 2 dimes in your hand, and you take those
dimes away. Ask anyone walking by what you have in your empty hand,
and they'll probably say 'nothing'. So X - X = nothing (null), not 0."

I've known this guy for many years, and if he was joking, he would have
been laughing at me by now for being so gullable.

His logic makes sense.

I'm wondering if we've all been brainwashed to accept a basic premise
of math!

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