0.99999... = 1

[AbBh]

You can't deny that 1/3 X 3 = 1.
Currently, 1/3 can be most accurately represented by 0.333... and therein lies the problem which leads us to the conclusion that 0.999... is equal to 1.
While it may not look right on paper, I doubt there is any practical situation where assuming 0.999... = 1 is going to have any undesired outcome.

 

[zimrahil]

Currently, 1/3 can be most accurately represented by 0.333...

But obviously it is not accurate. Better to say 'most closely'

 

[Kshitiz_Indian]

You can't deny that 1/3 X 3 = 1.
Currently, 1/3 can be most accurately represented by 0.333... and therein lies the problem which leads us to the conclusion that 0.999... is equal to 1.
While it may not look right on paper, I doubt there is any practical situation where assuming 0.999... = 1 is going to have any undesired outcome.

It does, because when it comes to electron level calculations, a difference of even 0.00001 can make a hell lot of difference. But oh well, if the scientists have accepted that, what can we do?

I guess the problem lies somewhere deeply in our divide system which causes such errors, which are known as Random errors. That is why in most scientific calculations, fractions are preferred over decimals.

 

[shravi]

You guys are confusing me . I think evertonfan summed it up perfectly.

 

[nightprowler10]

But obviously it is not accurate. Better to say 'most closely'

AbBh's statement was accurate enough.

 

[zimrahil]

AbBh's statement was accurate enough.

About as accurate as yours.....

 

[nightprowler10]

About as accurate as yours.....

Go accurate yourself.

 

[Ollie_H]

None of that please! Keep this on topic!

 

[sohum]

Only for really high values of 0.999...

 

[Kshitiz_Indian]

Yeah, but for example, places where you have calculations like 0.99 x 10^19, a difference of 0.99 and 1 makes a hell lot of difference!

 

[AbBh]

I think you are getting confused. 0.99 = 0.9900... which is different to 0.999...

 

[shravi]

For god's sake, it's 1 people! 1!

 

[Neo95]

Yeah, but for example, places where you have calculations like 0.99 x 10^19, a difference of 0.99 and 1 makes a hell lot of difference!

Did you mean 0.99 recurring?

 

[Deleted member 13648]

My god.

 

[tassietiger]

Yeah, but for example, places where you have calculations like 0.99 x 10^19, a difference of 0.99 and 1 makes a hell lot of difference!

In that case though, you should've written 0.99... to about 70 decimal places and then multiplied it by 10^17. Hardly any difference that way.

Using 9s, you could argue it is impossible to write 0.999.... to infinite decimal places. In my opinion, you can write it to infinite decimal places. It is 1.