SOLUTION: I know that zero is not negative or positive but why. My reasoning is because a positive number has to be greater than zero and a negative number has to be smaller than zero since

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Question 1142334: I know that zero is not negative or positive but why. My reasoning is because a positive number has to be greater than zero and a negative number has to be smaller than zero since zero is zero then it can't be greater or smaller than itself. If zero is neither of those then what is it.
Thank you
Found 2 solutions by Edwin McCravy, Theo:
Answer by Edwin McCravy(20056) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
It's just a convention.  
It would have worked if the convention had been that 0 is positive.
It would also have worked if the convention had been that 0 is negative.
It would also have worked if the convention had been that 0 is both positive and
negative.
It also works with the convention that was chosen, that 0 is neither positive nor
negative.
It's better not to be wish-washy, so people picked that convention.

Edwin

Answer by Theo(13342) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
it's zero.

it's not positive or negative.

here's a reference on the properties of zero.

https://www.basic-mathematics.com/properties-of-zero.html

here's a fairly simple definition

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/zero

here's a fairly long winded definition

https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/7/5/17500782/zero-number-math-explained

here's a history.

https://www.livescience.com/27853-who-invented-zero.html

it essentially represents nothing.

the interesting part is that it's a fairly recent concept in the history of mathematics.

we take it for granted, but that wasn't always the case.

there are special rules involving 0, one of the most important is that any number divided by 0 is undefined.

another of the most important is that 0 divided or multiplied by any number is equal to 0.

a special case is any number dividied by 0 is undefinied, and 0 divided by 0 is indeterminate.

here's a very good reference from doctor math.

http://mathforum.org/dr.math/faq/faq.divideby0.html

another property is that any number raised to the power of 0 is equal to 1.

it also includes the special case of 0 raised to the power of 0.

https://medium.com/i-math/the-zero-power-rule-explained-449b4bd6934d

lots of other information on the web.

you could spend days going through it.

hope this helps.

happy hunting if you need more.