ZeroDivisionError: float division by zero in Python

If the number (positive or negative) is divided by zero in mathematics, the output will be undefined or of no value. Similarly, if the number (integer or float) is divided by zero in Python, the interpreter will throw a “ZeroDivisionError”. To resolve this error, various solutions are used in Python, such as the “if” statement and the “try-except” block.

This blog provides the reason for the error “float division by zero” with their solutions and examples. The following aspects are followed in this article:

• Reason: Dividing Floating Point Number By “0”
• Solution 1: Use if-Statement
• Solution 2: Use try-except Block

So, let’s get started!

Reason: Dividing Floating Point Number By “0”

The prominent reason which causes this error in Python is when a user tries to divide the floating point number by “0” in a program. The error snippet is shown below:

The above snippet shows “ZeroDivisionError” because the floating point number is divided by “0”.

Solution 1: Use if-Statement

To resolve this error, you can use the “if” statement to check if the divisor is equal to “0” or not. Here is a code example:

Code:

first_number = 56.4
second_number = 0
if second_number!=0:
    output = first_number / second_number
else:
    output = 0 
print(output)

In the above code:

• The  “if” statement is utilized to check whether the divisor or the number which we are dividing by is equal to zero or not.
• If the number is not equal to zero, then the “if” block statement is executed and shows the division result.
• The else block is executed when the divisor is equal to zero.

The above output shows the value “0” because the divisor number is equal to “0”.

Solution 2: Use try-except Block

Another solution to handle this particular error is using the “try-except” block in the program. Let’s understand this concept via the below-given Python program.

Code:

first_number = 56.4
second_number = 0
try:
    output = first_number / second_number
except ZeroDivisionError:
    output = 0 
print(output)

In the above code:

• The “try” block executes when the divisor is not equal to zero.
• If the dividing number/divisor is equal to zero, then the “except” block handles the “ZeroDivisionError” and assigns a “0” value to the output variable.

The output shows that the try-except block successfully resolves the stated error.

That’s it from this guide!

Conclusion

The “ZeroDivisionError: float division by zero” occurs when a user tries to divide a floating point number by the value “0” in Python. To resolve this error, you can use the “if-else” statement to check whether the input number is equal to zero or not before performing the calculation. The “try-except” block is also used to handle the “ZeroDivisionError” in Python programs. This blog explained how to resolve the “float division by zero” error in Python using appropriate examples.

Joseph