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Thread: 1 == 0.999...

  1. #1
    Senior Member ihoss.com's Avatar
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    1 == 0.999...

    This is very old, but I haven't heard about it before.

    1 == 0.999...

    It can be proven in two ways:
    1
    1/3 = 0.333...
    1/3 * 3 = 0.333... * 3
    1 = 0.999...


    2
    x = 0.999...
    10x = 9.999...
    10x - x = 9.999...- 0.999...
    9x = 9
    x = 1

    Sorry if this has been posted before, but I couldn't find it (The search here is not good, it never finds anything, so it might be that I missed it).

    If you don't believe me, have a look here

  2. #2
    Senior Member Genesis F5's Avatar
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    Yeah, this is old. Sorry.

  3. #3
    Information Architect Subway's Avatar
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    1/3 != 0.333....!!!

    0.333... is not a number! 0.333 is, but not 0.333...

    As it isn't a number, you can't do math with it.

    Fredi
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  4. #4
    Information Architect Subway's Avatar
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    Oh by the way, just remembered a joke because of it:



    Fredi
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  5. #5
    Senior Member MagnusVS's Avatar
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    I absolutely agree with Fredi. 1/3 != 0.3333333...

    Of course you can do math with it, but to say that 1/3==0.333... is like saying that 0.5 == 0.4999999 and prove from that that 50==49.999...

  6. #6
    Information Architect Subway's Avatar
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    Ok, that's an even better explanation.

    But I stand by my comment: 0.333... is not a number in the same way as "infinite" is not a number, it's just philosophy or (I just made that word up) metamath.

    Fredi
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  7. #7
    Chaos silverx2's Avatar
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    it should read 1/3 = .3333~

    and its a joke, aka haha heehee wink wink nudge nudge.

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Subway
    1/3 != 0.333....!!!

    0.333... is not a number! 0.333 is, but not 0.333...

    As it isn't a number, you can't do math with it.

    Fredi
    How is it not a number? if 0.333... is not a number, then 1/3 isn't a number.

  9. #9
    Information Architect Subway's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by yasunobu13
    How is it not a number? if 0.333... is not a number, then 1/3 isn't a number.
    1 is a number
    3 is a number
    / is an operator

    1/3 is math

    Fredi
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  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Subway
    1 is a number
    3 is a number
    / is an operator

    1/3 is math
    If it's math, then it's an equation with a solution. Do apply that operator for me and tell me the result.

  11. #11
    Chaos silverx2's Avatar
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    flashkit has hit the nerd level.

  12. #12
    Information Architect Subway's Avatar
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    Mission accomplished!

    Quote Originally Posted by yasunobu13
    If it's math, then it's an equation with a solution. Do apply that operator for me and tell me the result.
    You think every math equation has a solution that is a number? How about 1/0? Is infinite a number?

    Fredi
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  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Subway
    Mission accomplished!



    You think every math equation has a solution that is a number? How about 1/0? Is infinite a number?

    Fredi
    The division operation is defined on all rational numbers except for when the divisor is 0 in which case the operation is undefined. Last I checked 1 and 3 are rational and non-zero.

    If 1/3=x then 1=3*x
    What's x in that case? 0.333... is an exact solution.

    The equation y = 1/x is a continuous function for x > 0. If 1/3 is undefined then y=1/x has no solution for x=3,6,7,9,11,13,...

    How about this, the problem only occurs due to the base numbering system (base 10). If we change the problem to base 3 instead then the issue is
    1/3 => 1/10

    You agree that 1/10 has a solution of 0.1 correct? Change 0.1 in base 3 back to base 10 and you get 0.333...

    Did a change of base of a number create a non-number here? That would make no sense.

  14. #14
    Information Architect Subway's Avatar
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    Ok, you win.

    Fredi
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  15. #15
    OGC creativeinsomnia's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by yasunobu13
    Hi, look at my new photo.

  16. #16
    Senior Member random25's Avatar
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    1 does not equal 0.999...
    Keep running those 9s out infinitely and you are still not at 1.
    Have you never seen Carl Sagan explain infinity?
    Oh yea, and OLD!1
    Last edited by random25; 02-06-2007 at 01:47 PM.

  17. #17
    Senior Member MagnusVS's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by yasunobu13
    If 1/3=x then 1=3*x
    What's x in that case? 0.333... is an exact solution.
    If you can place infinite amounts of 3'ers behind. The most correct way is to say that 1/3 == 1/3 and that's it!

    Anyway, 1 == 1. Nothing more, nothing less.

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by MagnusVS
    If you can place infinite amounts of 3'ers behind. The most correct way is to say that 1/3 == 1/3 and that's it!

    Anyway, 1 == 1. Nothing more, nothing less.
    0.333... is shorthand for an infinite number of repeating 3's
    So it is correct to say 1/3 = 0.333...

  19. #19
    Senior Member random25's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MagnusVS
    Anyway, 1 == 1. Nothing more, nothing less.
    Yea, and to prove it,
    I will now go back to our machine shop and round all of the .999 measurements up to 1.

  20. #20
    Chaos silverx2's Avatar
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    i heard 1 = 2-1/1.. any truth to the rumor.

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