Are these statements about real numbers erroneous?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the validity of several statements concerning real numbers, specifically focusing on the products of real numbers within certain intervals. Participants explore the implications of multiplying infinite sets of real numbers, addressing both theoretical and conceptual aspects of the claims made.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • One participant asserts that the first statement about the existence of a real number in the interval (1, 1) is correct.
  • Another participant questions how one would multiply all real numbers in the interval (0, 1), suggesting that the result could vary and may not be simply zero.
  • Concerns are raised regarding the multiplication of all reals in the intervals (1, 2) and (0, ∞), with participants noting that the order of multiplication can affect the outcome.
  • One participant argues that the product of all reals in (0, ∞) cannot be definitively stated as one due to the inability to order the continuous set of reals for multiplication.
  • Another participant clarifies that while the reals cannot be arranged in a sequence indexed by natural numbers, they can still be ordered in a different sense.
  • Discussion includes the notion that reals can be well-ordered under certain axioms, which adds complexity to the argument about ordering and multiplication.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the validity of the statements regarding real numbers, particularly concerning the products of infinite sets. There is no consensus on the correctness of the claims, and multiple competing interpretations remain present throughout the discussion.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight limitations in understanding the multiplication of infinite sets, the importance of order in such operations, and the implications of Cantor's diagonal argument on the arrangement of real numbers.

bomba923
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*Note: I think questions 2-4 are erroneous?

1) There does NOT exist any [tex]x \in \mathbb{R}[/tex] such that [itex]x \in \left( {1,1} \right) [/tex] ?<br /> <br /> 2) The product of all reals in [tex]( 0 , 1 )[/tex] is zero, right?<br /> <br /> 3) The product of all reals in [tex]( 1 , 2 )[/tex] is infinity, right?<br /> <br /> 4) The product of all reals in [tex](0 , \infty )[/tex] I suppose is one, because each real greater than one has a reciprocal less than one (and vica versa). Their products equal to one. Therefore the product of all reals in [tex](0 , \infty )[/tex] is one?[/itex]
 
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Number 1 seems o.k, particularly if you know how the real numbers are defined.

The problem with number 2 is that how exactly would you multiply all real numbers greater than 0 and less than 1 together?

It's quite easy to multiply a sequence of real numbers together that are greater than 0 and less than 1, but the answer could be any real number equal or greater to 0 and less than 1. However, you that's a lot different from multiplying "all real numbers". Same goes for number 3 and 4.

Also something you don’t seem to understand about adding or multiplying an infinite number of elements, order is quite important. You can add the same set of numbers together in a different order and the result may be entirely different.
 
Zurtex said:
Also something you don’t seem to understand about adding or multiplying an infinite number of elements, order is quite important. You can add the same set of numbers together in a different order and the result may be entirely different.

Exactly why I think Question #4 is wrong
Depending on how I represent this crazy product (in this case, which order I multiply), indeed I would get another value. For example, I could multiply each recipocal-number product by 2, and overall still represent a product of unique reals.
(:redface:these weren't my questions, but I could not at the time offer much of a counterargument//->which is why I'm here at PF!)
 
bomba923 said:
Exactly why I think Question #4 is wrong
Depending on how I represent this crazy product (in this case, which order I multiply)...
The set of all reals in a continuous interval cannot be ordered into a sequence (see Cantor's diagonal method), and as such cannot be indexed in order to be put into a product in the first place. Is this a question in a text ? :confused:
 
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The set of all reals in a continuous interval cannot be ordered

You mean they cannot be arranged in a sequence. (indexed by the naturals)

Of course they can be ordered... for example, < is a perfectly good ordering on the reals in an interval. :smile:
 
and they can even be well ordered too, modulo the axiom of choice, that is it is possible to define an order relation where it makes sense to talk of there being a 'next' real number after another one. doesn't agree with the usual ordering, of course.
 
Hurkyl said:
You mean they cannot be arranged in a sequence. (indexed by the naturals)

Of course they can be ordered... for example, < is a perfectly good ordering on the reals in an interval. :smile:
Silly me. :smile: I meant arranged in a sequence. :blushing:
 

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