（外文电子版资料）Ted Chiang - Division by Zero.pdf

Division by Zero By Ted Chiang (Reprint, added 13 December 2003.) Stories of Your Life and Others Ted Chiang 1 Dividing a number by zero doesnt produce an infinitely large number as an answer. The reason is that division is defined as the inverse of multiplication; if you divide by zero, and then multiply by zero, you should regain the number you started with. However, multiplying infinity by zero produces only zero, not any other number. There is nothing which can be multiplied by zero to produce a nonzero result; therefore, the result of a division by zero is literally undefined. 1a Renee was looking out the window when Mrs. Rivas approached. Leaving after only a week? Hardly a real stay at all. Lord knows I wont be leaving for a long time. Renee forced a polite smile. Im sure it wont be long for you. Mrs. Rivas was the manipulator in the ward; everyone knew that her attempts were merely gestures, but the aides wearily paid attention to her lest she succeed accidentally. Ha. They wish Id leave. You know what kind of liability they face if you die while youre on status? Yes, I know. Thats all theyre worried about, you can tell. Always their liability-- Renee tuned out and returned her attention to the window, watching a contrail extrude itself across the sky. Mrs. Norwood? a nurse called. Your husbands here. Renee gave Mrs. Rivas another polite smile and left. 1b Carl signed his name yet another time, and finally the nurses took away the forms for processing. He remembered when he had brought Renee in to be admitted, and thought of all the stock questions at the first interview. He had answered them all stoically. Yes, shes a professor of mathematics. You can find her in Whos Who. No, Im in biology. And: I had left behind a box of slides that I needed. No, she couldnt have known. And, just as expected: Yes, I have. It was about twenty years ago, when I was a grad student. No, I tried jumping. No, Renee and I didnt know each o