What happens when you divide by zero on a mechanical 1950s calculator

The strange feeling that this means something and in the same time that this means nothing

Just turned that thing in to an engine

That’s what happens to my brain when my wife asks me our anniversary…

math is a specification, / 0 spec is undefined. means the implementation is free to do whatever it wants - they'd all be equally correct.

Zero is the key to all, sits between positive and negative. A perfect balance, infinite and sublime.

Unlimited power!

“What happens when you divide by zero on a mechanical 1950s calculator.”

I have a vague memory of trying this on a few machines in mid 70s. If I remember correctly, some just churned away indefinitely until the power was disconnected. Others churned for a repeatable amount of time and then stopped - timed out, I assume.

Stop torturing it!!