This story appeared in The Star, Saturday, 7 July 2012.
I find this story to be a rather strange one. This is interesting to note. At some conference in Penang (few years ago), I presented a notion that a number divided by zero will give rise to a number that tends to infinity; which in another word means that it is NOT possible that a number could be divided by zero. In most of my class, I have inherently iterated to all of my students that it is a heinous crime against mathematics to affirm that a number, say x, divided by zero is equal to zero, viz. x/0=0.
Now, here in our mainstream local newspaper, a grave mathematical mistake has been blatantly displayed out in the open. And I, as an academician with strong background in mathematics, can only laugh! :)
Anyway, I am sure that there is another way if explaining where the RM30b will disappear to in the event that RM30b is to be divided by zero. One wonder and fret for a while as to why would such a huge money needed to be divided by zero. Logic tells me that monies (in whatever amount it may be) needed to be divided equally among the shareholders, not by some "zero ghostly" person.
I find this story to be a rather strange one. This is interesting to note. At some conference in Penang (few years ago), I presented a notion that a number divided by zero will give rise to a number that tends to infinity; which in another word means that it is NOT possible that a number could be divided by zero. In most of my class, I have inherently iterated to all of my students that it is a heinous crime against mathematics to affirm that a number, say x, divided by zero is equal to zero, viz. x/0=0.
Now, here in our mainstream local newspaper, a grave mathematical mistake has been blatantly displayed out in the open. And I, as an academician with strong background in mathematics, can only laugh! :)
Anyway, I am sure that there is another way if explaining where the RM30b will disappear to in the event that RM30b is to be divided by zero. One wonder and fret for a while as to why would such a huge money needed to be divided by zero. Logic tells me that monies (in whatever amount it may be) needed to be divided equally among the shareholders, not by some "zero ghostly" person.
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