Is zero a number?

[DDancer]

trdking states it quite clear, zero is a place holder. It differentiates true values from each other and as such it is a number with value relative to the difference between sums of one.

 

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[hvacker]

I have dealt with numbers less than zero in working with pressures. Like a fan discharge might have a positive number, the intake might be a negative number or less than zero. In this case it's the measuring system. If I were to measure using absolute pressures, all measurements would be positive and the new zero would be actual zero.
I remember reading about a scientist trying to explain zero to some tribe in a rain forest. They thought he was nuts.
The journey of negative numbers will eventually arrive at empty time and empty space me thinks.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Well, where there is no light there is darkness. In the far reaches of space I would think there is darkness.

Darkness is the only thing that can travel at or faster than the speed of light. Because wherever light goes darkness has to move fast enough to get out of the way.

Zero is what exists between all the positive numbers and all the negative numbers.

Think of it in binary: "0" is off vs the "1" used to indicate on. So the number 214 looks like 11010110. Not really holding a place - just indicating that place is "off" in the base code.