What does 0^0 equal? Why do mathematicians and high school teachers disagree?

#1

Post by ColinWright » Wed, Aug 24, 2011, 8:13 PM UTC

What does 0^0 equal? Why do mathematicians and high school teachers disagree?
askamathematician.com

Re: What does 0^0 equal? Why do mathematicians and high school teachers disagree?

#2

Post by beej71 » Wed, Aug 24, 2011, 8:31 PM UTC

Since the site seems to be dead, here is a bit of wikipedia discussion on it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exponent#Zero_to_the_zero_power

Re: What does 0^0 equal? Why do mathematicians and high school teachers disagree?

#3

Post by ColinWright » Wed, Aug 24, 2011, 8:42 PM UTC

beej71 wrote: post #2

Since the site seems to be dead, here is a bit of wikipedia discussion on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exponent#Zero_to_the_zero_power

Not always dead for me - I think it's just under a heavy load. I guess we've "SlashDotted" it, or, more accurately, "HN'd" it.

Re: What does 0^0 equal? Why do mathematicians and high school teachers disagree?

#4

Post by zedpm » Wed, Aug 24, 2011, 8:47 PM UTC

beej71 wrote: post #2

Since the site seems to be dead, here is a bit of wikipedia discussion on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exponent#Zero_to_the_zero_power

In that case here's the Coral CDN mirror: http://www.askamathematician.com.nyud.net/?p=4524

Re: What does 0^0 equal? Why do mathematicians and high school teachers disagree?

#5

Post by ks » Wed, Aug 24, 2011, 8:48 PM UTC

ColinWright wrote: post #3

beej71 wrote: post #2

Since the site seems to be dead, here is a bit of wikipedia discussion on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exponent#Zero_to_the_zero_power

Not always dead for me - I think it's just under a heavy load. I guess we've "SlashDotted" it, or, more accurately, "HN'd" it.

Same here. I had to reload a few times before it worked.

Here's the version I found in the Google cache:

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:Jxv6vFH...

Re: What does 0^0 equal? Why do mathematicians and high school teachers disagree?

#6

Post by alephNaught » Wed, Aug 24, 2011, 8:54 PM UTC

Doesn't a simple application of l'hospital solve this?

Re: What does 0^0 equal? Why do mathematicians and high school teachers disagree?

#7

Post by yahelc » Wed, Aug 24, 2011, 8:58 PM UTC

beej71 wrote: post #2

Since the site seems to be dead, here is a bit of wikipedia discussion on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exponent#Zero_to_the_zero_power

Time for my handy "Open this page in Google cache" bookmarklet:

    javascript:window.open("http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:"+encodeURIComponent(location.href))

Re: What does 0^0 equal? Why do mathematicians and high school teachers disagree?

#8

Post by 9ec4c12949a4f3 » Wed, Aug 24, 2011, 9:02 PM UTC

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=0^0

Neat.

Re: What does 0^0 equal? Why do mathematicians and high school teachers disagree?

#9

Post by dminor » Wed, Aug 24, 2011, 9:03 PM UTC

yahelc wrote: post #7

beej71 wrote: post #2

Since the site seems to be dead, here is a bit of wikipedia discussion on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exponent#Zero_to_the_zero_power

Time for my handy "Open this page in Google cache" bookmarklet: javascript:window.open("http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:"+encodeURIComponent(location.href))

I think you're missing a quote after cache: in there.

Otherwise, very handy, thanks.

Re: What does 0^0 equal? Why do mathematicians and high school teachers disagree?

#10

Post by yahelc » Wed, Aug 24, 2011, 9:04 PM UTC

dminor wrote: post #9

yahelc wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Time for my handy "Open this page in Google cache" bookmarklet: javascript:window.open("http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:"+encodeURIComponent(location.href))

I think you're missing a quote after cache: in there. Otherwise, very handy, thanks.

Weird. It got stripped out somehow. Thanks for pointing it out; fixed.