One may obtain negative zero as the result of certain computations, for instance as the result of arithmetic underflow on a negative number, or −1.0×0.0, or simply as −0.0.. In IEEE 754 binary floating-point numbers, zero values are represented by the biased exponent and significand both being zero. If zero contains all numbers within it, and we take away a value, zero then contains all numbers except the removed value. Irrational Functions Multiply and divide by the conjugate. technically, infinity is not a value and therefore cannot be defined as minus 1. The missing (-1) causes zero to transform into the value 1. Example: 2x 2 −5x. What is the arctangent of infinity and minus infinity? I honestly didn't understand the idea but I felt smart for challenging my instructor with a simple question. But be careful, a function like "−x" will approach "−infinity", so we have to look at the signs of x. $\begingroup$ I remember asking my math instructor a similar question, with a wide wide grin on my face. Functions like 1/x approach 0 as x approaches infinity. Arctan of infinity. In this case we might be tempted to say that the limit is infinity (because of the infinity in the numerator), zero (because of the infinity in the denominator) or -1 (because something divided by itself is one). This is also true for 1/x 2 etc : A function such as x will approach infinity, as well as 2x, or x/9 and so on. arctan(∞) = ? Negative zero has the sign bit set to one. The limit is ± ∞ (depending on the sign of the coefficient of highest degree). The answer is simply that zero minus (-1) equals 1. Rational Functions Reduce to a common denominator. Polynomial Functions Remove the common factor with the greatest exponent. Infinity Minus Infinity 1. 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