Zero Activities
Use these activities if your student is working through Pre-Algebra or Algebra 1
to teach and reinforce the concept of zero at a more advanced level.
Undefined: Division by Zero
Read the following mini-lesson with your student.
Division is the inverse, or opposite, of multiplication. Multiplication involves putting equal groups together,
while division involves separating into equal groups. Because of this relationship, you can write equivalent
equations, such as:
These equations are related facts because they show the same relationship with the same three numbers.
Consider what happens when you write equivalent equations with zero. If you were given the equation
15 ÷ 3 = 5, you could write two related multiplication facts: 3 • 5 = 15 and 5 • 3 = 15.
Suppose you were given the equation 0 ÷ 4 = 0. You could rewrite this as 4 • 0 = 0 and 0 • 4 = 0.
What would happen if you were asked to rewrite 2 ÷ 0 ? This would be the same as saying that 0 • ? = 2
or ? • 0 = 2.
There is no number you can multiply by two that equals zero because any number multiplied by zero equals
zero. Therefore, division by zero is not possible. It is considered to be undefined.
Next, have your student perform the following division problems on a calculator and write the response the
calculator generates.
2 • 6 = 12 12 ÷ 2 = 6 6 • 2 = 12 12 ÷ 6 = 2
-1302
154
468
685
0
=
=
=
=
=
-434
Cannot Divide by Zero; Error; Undefined
Cannot Divide by Zero; Error; Undefined
-39
0
3
0
-12
0
27
Zero Activities: Pre-Algebra and Algebra 1
