What is the result of trying to divide a nonzero number by zero in programming?

When attempting to divide a nonzero number by zero in programming, the action typically results in throwing an exception. This is because dividing by zero is mathematically undefined, and programming languages implement error handling mechanisms to manage such scenarios.

When a division by zero occurs, rather than the program simply producing an erroneous output or crashing outright, it raises an exception that can be caught and handled by the programmer. This allows developers to implement protective coding practices that inform users of the error and manage the flow of the application appropriately, maintaining stability and preventing potential crashes.

In most programming languages, this specific exception indicates that an illegal operation has been attempted, and it provides clarity on what went wrong, enabling the developer to debug and fix the issue accordingly.