Is 0.999... Equal to 1 or Infinity?

[BTruesdell07]

Is infinity - 1 still infinity. Also if 1\3 = .333... then wouldent 3\3not only = 1 but .999... as well?

 

[Moonbear]

I suggest you wander over to the math forum and take a look at the threads answering this question there. The thread requesting an FAQ sticky will be the easiest place to look.

 

[mattmns]

I am not sure about the definition of the infinity question. But for the second part: If you have 1/3 = .3333..., then 1/.333333... = 3, so 3/3 = [1/.333333...] / [1/.333333...] which equals 1

 

[ron damon]

keep in mind infinity is not a number, but a limit. You can come arbitrarily close to infinity, but you can never reach it.

 

[Gokul43201]

Much as it pains me to do this, I will have to move this thread from GD to Math.

 

[Integral]

You can come arbitrarily close to infinity, but you can never reach it.

Actually I don't think you can get close to it. No matter how big a number you choose, infinity it still infinitely "far" away.

 

[Gokul43201]

Is infinity - 1 still infinity.

Yes.

Also if 1\3 = .333... then wouldent 3\3not only = 1 but .999... as well?

Yes again.

 

[ron damon]

Actually I don't think you can get close to it. No matter how big a number you choose, infinity it still infinitely "far" away.

your definition is better I like to think of it in the following way:

let's say you have a=x/n . You can choose x to be the greatest number your imagination can muster (thus coming arbitrarily close to infinity). lim of a when n -> infinity will always be 0. So as you said, "infinity it still infinitely "far" away".

 

[mathwonk]

is infinity a place? like oz?

 

[Jameson]

How many of these discussions do we have to have going on? Can't one of the moderators make a sticky and address this subject once and for all? Please.