Is zero a Number?

[femme Lisa]

A trivial question I find very interesting to ask in the work place. I have managed to win several small bets with this question. I wonder if I was betting you, would I have won or not? :P

Is zero a number?

[Niiya Narayan]

"Zero" is a word.

This should probably be in Off-topic as it's not related to the group. ;]

[femme Lisa]

oooops!

Funny in New York most people usually fall for that :P (sorry NY)

Edited June 23, 2010 by femme Lisa

[RazorFox]

In b4 Intus

[Zero Itamae]

I am not a number, I am a free man!

[RazorFox]

I am not a number, I am a free man!

YOU GET BACK IN YOUR BOX

[Zero Itamae]

The box was a plot device never to see the light of day again. :|

[Legna Beorn]

Zero is a word 0 however as a numerical value did not previously exist until it was developed to account for lack a corp yield. as having nothing is not to have 1. so 0 is not a number so much as it is a placeholder :P

[Zerowinged Vasiliev]

I am to a number! Number 299 >=C

Zero Itame is number 298 >=|

. . . Gawd

[Corsi Mousehold]

According to WIkipedia:

Zero, written 0, is both a number and the numerical digit used to represent that number in numerals. It plays a central role in mathematics as the additive identity of the integers, real numbers, and many other algebraic structures. As a digit, 0 is used as a placeholder in place value systems. In the English language, 0 may be called zero, oh, null, nil, "o", zilch, zip or nought, depending on dialect and context.

[femme Lisa]

*Letter [ˈletər]-noun

a character representing one or more of the sounds used in speech; any of the symbols of an alphabet : a capital letter.

*Word   [wurd]–noun

a unit of language, consisting of one or more spoken sounds or their written representation, that functions as a principal carrier of meaning. Words are composed of one or more morphemes and are either the smallest units susceptible of independent use or consist of two or three such units combined under certain linking conditions, as with the loss of primary accent that distinguishes blackbird from black bird. Words are usually separated by spaces in writing, and are distinguished phonologically, as by accent, in many languages.

*Number [ˈnəmbər]-noun

an arithmetical value, expressed by a word, symbol, or figure, representing a particular quantity.

*Ze·ro   [zeer-oh]-noun

the figure or symbol 0, which stands for the absence of quantity; cipher.

*Zero is a unit of language consisting of four characters used to represent the figure or symbol 0.

*'Zero' is a word.

Edited June 23, 2010 by femme Lisa

[Lanny Ansar]

Is this why when i try to divide by 0 on my Calculator, it suddenly goes off like a Plastic Frag Grenade in my hands?

[Cygna]

Oddly enough, I've only just read this topic tonight. I noticed Google looking at it. :<

[RazorFox]

Well, a number is essentially a value assigned to measure quantity. Ergo 4 is a number indicating that corresponding quantity.

0 denotes a lack of quantity.

However, consider something like temperature. Temperature is the measurement of vibrations of electrons in atoms. According to the Kelvin scale, 0 is the point at which the electrons in an atom stop vibrating (absolute zero). Interestingly enough, since the passage of time is relative to movement, matter cooled to absolute zero will actually sort of cease to exist, since the lack of movement will cause it to simply cease moving through time with us. But that's beside the point.

In the Celcius scale, 0 denotes a certain frequency of electronic vibration within atoms, which is why absolute 0 is something like -273 degrees Celcius. In this case, 0 denotes a point along a line, thereby qualifying it as a number in my opinion.

[/pedantry]

[Agares Tretiak]

I smell egos at stake here. Or is it Eggos? I've yet to eat breakfast.

[Trinity Heckroth]

Egos and steak? Mmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Desereck Creeggan]

Zero is inbetween 1 and -1, meaning it is a place on a number line, ergo it can be represented as a number mathmatically, just as -1 can.

However, physically, 0 can not be represented because it is the absense of such. This is also true for negative numbers, for to have a negative you must owe one to another from which you have none.

WELCOME TO THE DEBT GAME.

[Garma Denja]

Zero is not a number.

Plain and simple. It is just a reference object.