Definition:Can't Happen
From ProofWiki
Definition
Probability Theory
Let $A$ be an event in a probability space $\left({\Omega, \Sigma, \Pr}\right)$.
Suppose $\Pr \left({A}\right) = 0$.
Then we say (colloquially) that $A$ can't happen.
Computer Science
A branch of a program which, because of the way the flow is structured, can not be accessed, is referred to as a can't happen.
if (x == 1) then {
- do.something(x)
} else if (x != 1) then {
- do.somethingElse (x)
} else {
- // can't happen
}
There are sometimes reasons for doing stuff like this, but professionals usually wince when they have to maintain it.
