Where does the universe end?

[Gilly]

Indeed, if 0.9r is written to be less in value than one, then surely the logical conclusion is that... 0.9r is less that one?

Not that I'm a maths wizz or anything, naturally.

You're not allowed to apply logic, the maths bods don't like it

 

[Nitefly]

but if you wrote 0.999r < 1 youd be wrong.

Why?

As long as the first digit never reaches 1... the number will never be equal or more than 1.

 

[gillywibble]

It doesn’t, it just goes on and on and on.........

Like Conspiracy Theories

 

[w11tho]

And what I was saying is that 0.99r is not the same number as 1, it is simply a limitation of the base 10 number system that leads us to say they are so similar, they might as well be the same number in practical use.

Ah, then you'd be utterly wrong.

0.9r and 1 are not the same number, else they'd both be written the same way

What, like 0.5 and 1/2? Nice watertight argument there, Sherlock!

 

[Gilly]

Hence the wink. It's still right that 0.9r and 1 are different numbers.

 

[taz488]

Why?
As long as the first digit never reaches 1... the number will never be equal or more than 1.

theres quite a few proofs that 0.999 = 1, believe it. (or search wiki theres a few proofs on that page if you dont)

 

[w11tho]

Hence the wink. It's still right that 0.9r and 1 are different numbers.

They represent exactly the same real number. As do 0.5 and 1/2.

 

[The Mad Rapper]

Why not?

Because the Big Bang theory supposes that the Universe came from a single point and has been expanding since. That expansion *must* have boundaries. The question that makes my brain spin is "What is the Universe expanding into?"

 

[Lysander]

Hence the wink. It's still right that 0.9r and 1 are different numbers.

theres quite a few proofs that 0.999 = 1, believe it. (or search wiki theres a few proofs on that page if you dont)

According to Wikipedia 0.9r and 1 are the same quantity because they represent the same real number.

However, my knowledge of maths is very limited. Here's an article on it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/0.999...

 

[The Mad Rapper]

What, like 0.5 and 1/2? Nice watertight argument there, Sherlock!

Owned!

 

[Gilly]

They represent exactly the same real number. As do 0.5 and 1/2.

It's a very similar number, not the same

 

['Wes]

The universe started with my very first bite of my Milkyway bar.

 

[taz488]

they represent the same real number.

then why are we arguing?

 

[Lysander]

then why are we arguing?

I was actually agreeing, in a roundabout way.

 

[w11tho]

It's a very similar number, not the same

Clearly there's no telling you. I asked before, but you must have missed it. From what authority do you speak? You seem to think you know better than every mathematician on the planet - I'm wondering where your confidence comes from!

 

[taz488]

I was actually agreeing, in a roundabout way.

ahh sorry thought you were the other guy

 

[D D Danneh]

theres quite a few proofs that 0.999 = 1, believe it. (or search wiki theres a few proofs on that page if you dont)

Post a proof and I'll show why I think it's wrong then.

 

[Nitefly]

theres quite a few proofs that 0.999 = 1, believe it. (or search wiki theres a few proofs on that page if you dont)

It would be very difficult to argue against those proofs - they seem pretty water tight to me.

Saying that, that wiki article was clearly written by somebody with this argument in mind:

"This has been accepted by professors and is in text books"

:/

 

[RDM]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/0.999...

After reading that article I have to concur that 0.99... does in fact equal 1. It was the proof with 1/3 that did it for me.

 

[RDM]

Post a proof and I'll show why I think it's wrong then.

1/3 = 0.333...

3x 1/3 = 1

3x 0.333... = 0.999...

Therefore 0.999... = 1