One divided by Infinity

MathsIsFun · 2005-05-29 21:26:12

What is 1 / Infinity ?

Is it 0 ?

Zach · 2005-05-29 21:34:19

1/infinity? Infinity contains all known numbers, including negative numbers, in existance... Thus, you can really divide it by 0, can you?

MathsIsFun · 2005-05-29 21:39:32

Inifinity. A number SO BIG that you can't ever reach it.

Some people say it is the number that is equal to the largest number you can think of plus one.

So, we know what 1/10 is, we know what 1/100 is, we know what 1/1,000,000,000 is (one billionth), but what is 1/Infinity?

Zach · 2005-05-29 21:40:31

Oh! Oh! 1/2?

MathsIsFun · 2005-05-29 21:47:06

Only if Infinity=2 ... it don't

Zach · 2005-05-29 21:47:45

... That was the joke. O.o

Zach · 2005-05-29 22:01:28

Alright. I've been thinking (Ragnarok!) and I've come up with this;

1/infinity = 0? X
Infinity is -not- a number, thus a mathmatical symbol cannot do anything to it. Neither is a variable, it's a concept (For example, you're not going to have 1/law, are you?). Thusly, infinity is not a number, but it is a concept, thus cannot be used in such a way.
But, if you're using infinity as a short-hand version of a long number, a really really long number, then express it like so;
x = The Overall number.
Infinity = (x+1) Continuously.
That's not too clear, but I'll try and clean it up. X is a number, say 5. You have 5 people + 1 person you have 6. x stands for the number of people you have, thus you go back to the start and you x+1 again to get 7 people and you loop it.
To show off my QBasic cleverness, here it is in a machine language;
REM START
$x=0
Do
x=$x
$x=x+1
Loop
END

- In all technicalities that'd work.

So, taking that you mean Infinity in that way, 1/infinity would be infinitesimally small, not 0.

Roraborealis · 2005-05-29 22:04:49

MathsIsFun wrote:

So, we know what 1/10 is, we know what 1/100 is, we know what 1/1,000,000,000 is (one billionth), but what is 1/Infinity?

One infinitieth!

justlookingforthemoment · 2005-05-29 22:09:46

See http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/62486.html (click link)

Last edited by justlookingforthemoment (2005-05-29 22:11:07)

MathsIsFun · 2005-05-29 22:47:54

And what you wrote in code, Zach, is called an "infinite loop" (though no such loop has ever gone on for infinity, at least not as fas as I know! )

Zach · 2005-05-29 23:04:31

Yes. There's actually no point of the END, as I've added no loop exit factor.

Mr T · 2005-05-30 22:52:03

that's great i hope u had fun

Roraborealis · 2005-06-17 03:57:13

Well, I did.

stewie · 2005-06-17 04:59:32

haw haw ho

I love pi · 2005-06-30 22:50:49

I think it should be 1 infinitieth or just plain 0.

MathsIsFun · 2005-06-30 22:56:33

1 infinitieth gets my vote!

Can't be zero. Becasue that would mean that an infinite number of zeros would make one, and I have tried multiplying zero by some pretty big numbers and it is always zero

Jai Ganesh · 2005-06-30 23:44:56

In mathematics, 1 divided by zero is consrued to be infinity.....
There's a reason for that; when 1 is divided by an extrememly small number, like
0.00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001,
the resultant is a very big number.
On the other hand, When 1 is divided by an extremely large number, say a centillion,
the resultant is so small that it is almost zero, repeat ALMOST zero, not zero....
But what happens when we divide 1 by a number as big as infinity?
The result is zero.
When 1 is divided by an infinitely large number, the result is an infinitely small number,
and when this infinitely small number is added to itself infinite number of times,
the result would be exactly 1, not any more.
This is difficult to prove, but the logic behind it is perfectly okay.
If you are interested in knowing more about infinity,
use any search engine and get information about
Hilbert's Hotel.

Roraborealis · 2005-07-03 05:29:16

How can infinity exist???

MathsIsFun · 2005-07-03 10:45:19

Wow, this kind of conversation is usually reserved for Buddhist Monks sitting on the side of mountains in the Himalayas.

The Existence of Infinity.

I guess if you can imagine it, then it exists, at least in your mind.

Roraborealis · 2005-07-03 18:49:02

MathsIsFun wrote:

Wow, this kind of conversation is usually reserved for Buddhist Monks sitting on the side of mountains in the Himalayas.

LOL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I suppose there's no other way of it existing because every number is impossible to see, and is all in the mind.

MathsIsFun · 2005-07-03 19:55:54

Infinity is not one of the "Real" numbers (ie it is not a 3 or a 7.01, or even a -1/7th), but nonetheless we can still use it.

For example:

y = 5 - 1/x

What happens as x -> inifinity? Answer: y -> 5.

Jai Ganesh · 2005-07-03 20:20:15

Yes, you are right. Infinity is diffuclt to comprehend for others, not for mathematicians.

abhishek_rttc · 2005-07-25 01:18:40

Let's consider the problem to findout the value of 1/infinity.
Here the numerator doesnot suggest any specific law to findout the value of the fraction and a fraction, having numerator as 1, can take any possible value whether fininte of infinite,
Now we consider the denominator, i.e., infinity. There are some specific rules to find out value of an expression having infinity as a term:-
a) If infinity appears in the numerator the fraction takes the value infinity
b) If infinity appears in the denominator the fraction takes the value zero.

Here rule (b) about infinty suggests that the value of this fraction 1/inifnity should be zero and the numerator 1 expesses the possibility of this value and there is no contradiction between the result obtained.

Hence the value of 1/inifinity must be zero.

MathsIsFun · 2005-07-25 01:28:13

abhishek_rttc wrote:

a) If infinity appears in the numerator the fraction takes the value infinity
b) If infinity appears in the denominator the fraction takes the value zero.

Ahhh ... but who came up with the rules?

And what is infinity/infinty ? Does rule a) or b) apply?

mathsyperson · 2005-07-25 04:08:53

infinity/infinty=i.

Math Is Fun Forum

#1 2005-05-29 21:26:12

One divided by Infinity

#2 2005-05-29 21:34:19

Re: One divided by Infinity

#3 2005-05-29 21:39:32

Re: One divided by Infinity

#4 2005-05-29 21:40:31

Re: One divided by Infinity

#5 2005-05-29 21:47:06

Re: One divided by Infinity

#6 2005-05-29 21:47:45

Re: One divided by Infinity

#7 2005-05-29 22:01:28

Re: One divided by Infinity

#8 2005-05-29 22:04:49

Re: One divided by Infinity

#9 2005-05-29 22:09:46

Re: One divided by Infinity

#10 2005-05-29 22:47:54

Re: One divided by Infinity

#11 2005-05-29 23:04:31

Re: One divided by Infinity

#12 2005-05-30 22:52:03

Re: One divided by Infinity

#13 2005-06-17 03:57:13

Re: One divided by Infinity

#14 2005-06-17 04:59:32

Re: One divided by Infinity

#15 2005-06-30 22:50:49

Re: One divided by Infinity

#16 2005-06-30 22:56:33

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#17 2005-06-30 23:44:56

Re: One divided by Infinity

#18 2005-07-03 05:29:16

Re: One divided by Infinity

#19 2005-07-03 10:45:19

Re: One divided by Infinity

#20 2005-07-03 18:49:02

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#21 2005-07-03 19:55:54

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#22 2005-07-03 20:20:15

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#23 2005-07-25 01:18:40

Re: One divided by Infinity

#24 2005-07-25 01:28:13

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#25 2005-07-25 04:08:53

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